The Princess Saga
by NeonStar89
Summary: Vegeta's daughter and her mother are brought into the lives of the Z fighters but not for long if the evil King Kuda and General Greed have anything to do with it as they attempt to tear the Saiyans apart. Special appearance by Bardock!
1. Chapter 1  Vegeta's Secret

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with the Dragonball series, except Appura and Ima.**

**Author's note: This is set after the defeat of Majin Buu. Gohan IS NOT with Videl in this fan fiction; they are just friends and she does appear.**

**Chapter 1**

**Vegeta's secret**

Gohan touched down outside Capsule Corp just after his dad and Goten landed. They hadn't seen Bulma, Vegeta and Trunks for five or six months. Gohan was on study leave from school, studying for his final exams which were just a few weeks away. He'd done most of his work for today yesterday so he could come see the Briefs family with his father and brother. Goku went in through the back door, not even knocking. Goten and Gohan followed. Gohan hoped they were in as the three Son men hadn't called ahead.

The back door led straight into the kitchen. Bulma was stood at the table, putting snacks into a back pack. She looked up as Goku walked in. "Goku!" she cried, putting a can of soda back down and running over to her friend. She hugged him tightly. "What...what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Thought we'd come visit," said Goku, smiling before looking over at the back pack, "Are you going somewhere?" Bulma looked back over at the table.

"Oh, no, I'm not, but Trunks and Vegeta were about to go out," said Bulma, walking back over to the table. Goten made a noise of disappointment. "I'm sorry, Goten," said Bulma, "I would ask if you could go too, but Vegeta will probably say no." The door that led into the rest of the house swung open and Trunks walked in, fastening the last button on a polo shirt. "Hey, mom," he said, not really looking up, "Do you think this is ok?" Bulma looked over at her son.

"Oh, honey, you look so handsome!" she said, smiling before kneeling in front of him and starting to straighten his hair out a little. Vegeta walked in just a moment after Trunks. "Is he ready?" he asked Bulma, ignoring Goku, Gohan and Goten. Bulma looked up at Vegeta before standing up.

"Yes," she said, handing the back pack to her husband before turning back to Trunks, "Now, Trunks, behave yourself, remember your manners, shoes off before you go into the house and if Ima tells you to do something, you do it, mister! Understand?"

"Yes, mom," said Trunks.

"Oh, but I wanna play with Trunks," wailed Goten. Vegeta finally looked over at the Son family and rolled his eyes. He looked at Bulma.

"Don't look at me, it's up to you," she said.

"Fine, can't hurt," muttered Vegeta, "You three can come along. I have to make a call first." He turned on his heel and headed into the hallway.

"So where are you guys going?" Goku asked Trunks.

"We're going to Ima and Appura's house," said Trunks, excitedly, "I've never been before."

"Who are Ima and Appura?" asked Gohan. Bulma bit her lip before walking over and closing the hallway door, blocking off Vegeta's voice. She then turned around to look at them. "Ima and Appura are...Saiyans..." she said, watching as Gohan and Goku's jaws dropped.

"Wha...why didn't we know about them?" asked Gohan when he recovered his voice.

"Vegeta only told me a couple of years ago, you see, Ima is..." she paused, "Sort of his ex-girlfriend, I guess is our equivalent." Gohan and Goku's jaws dropped again.

"And Appura's their daughter; my big sister," said Trunks, puffing out his chest as if he were proud of that. Gohan steadied himself on the counter. That was a lot to take in.

"But how did they get here?" he asked. The door opened.

"Ima ran away when she found out she was pregnant," said Vegeta as he walked in. He'd obviously been listening in. "She landed here," he continued, "It's ok for you to come too." He then turned and headed back out to the front. Bulma went after him and the others followed her. They found Vegeta waiting out the front with a car. He'd put the back pack in the back seat and had climbed into the driver's seat. Goku looked confused. "Vegeta passed his driving test about five years ago after I broke my leg when Daddy was on a six month cruise with mom," Bulma whispered to him. Goku nodded. "Shotgun!" he shouted before leaping into the front passenger seat. The boys groaned and got into the back seat of the car. There was some squabbling which ended with Gohan sat in the middle so both of the younger boys could have a window seat. "Ok, see you later, guys!" called Bulma as Vegeta started the engine.

The drive there was silent save from Trunks and Goten chatting to each other. Goku and Gohan were still trying to process what they'd been told. Another Saiyan had been hiding out here on Earth all this time and they had had no idea. Vegeta drove to the other side of the city to a very affluent area. He pulled up at the gates outside a large house. Gohan stared up at the house; it was huge but still only about half the size of the Capsule Corp compound. Vegeta reached out and pressed a button on the intercom. A buzzer went off and a camera whizzed around to look at the car. The sound of a headset being lifter came through. "Hey Dad," came a girl's voice, "Hang on just a moment." Another buzzer sounded and the gate swung open. Vegeta drove in. He parked the car just outside the front door and killed the engine. The door opened and a girl stood there. Her hair was black and in a chin-length bob with a spiky fringe. She wore a blue headband and a blue dress with white boots. She was lean and about an inch or two shorter than Vegeta. A long brown tail was wrapped around her waist. Trunks and Vegeta got out the car. "Kakarot, and his two brats," said Vegeta before heading into the house. The girl stayed stood where she was, looking at the Son family as they got out the car.

"Hi, I'm Goku," said Goku, walking up and extending a hand to her.

"Appura," she said, taking his hand, "I thought my dad just called you Kakarot."

"Kakarot is my Saiyan name, but only Vegeta calls me that," said Goku, "These are my sons, Gohan and Goten." Appura turned to the two boys and waved. Gohan's jaw dropped. He knew who she was. Her name, or rather her stage name was Apple Vee and she was a very popular singer. Gohan was a fan to say the least, his t-shirt bore the same image as her first album cover, he had a few posters of her up at home and he had pre-ordered her next album with a little help from Videl. Appura smiled at him and extended a hand. "Hi, Gohan, nice to meet you," she said. Gohan took her hand but the pair immediately pulled them apart as what felt like an electric shock passed through them. "Err, sorry," said Gohan, "It's nice to meet you too Apple, I mean, Appura." Appura smiled again.

"It's ok," she said, "Are you a fan?" She pointed at Gohan's shirt. Gohan blushed a little.

"Err, yeah," he said.

"C'mon inside," said Appura, "I just made some tea."

Gohan looked around. He couldn't believe it. He was sat in Apple Vee's house, in her living room, on the chairs that she sat in. Admittedly none of his teenage day dreams had involved his dad, Goten, Vegeta and Trunks being there too. They were sat in what seemed to be a formal living room. A coffee table was surrounded by two two-seater sofas and two arm chairs. His dad and Goten were sat on one sofa, Trunks was sat on a chair and Vegeta and Gohan were sat on the other sofa. The door opened and Appura came in. She carried a tray which carried a teapot, four cups and two cans of soda for Trunks and Goten. She put the tray on the table and handed the cans to the boys, before pouring tea for herself, Vegeta and Gohan and Goku. She sat down on the last chair and sipped her tea. The minutes passed in silence until Vegeta slammed down his empty tea cup. "Nicely done," he said, "But I should have been served first." He raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry, Dad," she said, "The boys looked thirsty. I didn't know..."

"Just because I've brought others with me doesn't mean you throw royal protocol out the window," snapped Vegeta, "Now, where's your mother?"

"Erm, at work, Dad," said Appura, sneaking another sip of her tea. Vegeta grunted in response before glancing over at her. "Couldn't find anything more decent to wear?" he grunted. Appura looked down.

"I...I think I look nice," she said quietly. Vegeta snorted in response. A hurt look flashed across Appura's face. Vegeta didn't even look over, he just snapped another question. "What order should we have been served in?"

"Erm, you, Trunks, Go...Kakarot, Gohan, Goten and then myself," said Appura quietly.

"Good, now if Kakarot were an Elite?"

"You, Kakarot, Trunks, Gohan, Goten and then myself," replied Appura, looking down at the tea cup in her lap, her hands shaking slightly. Her voice was shaking too.

"Well, at least some of your training has sunk into that little brain of yours," said Vegeta, "Though apparently, dressing like a lady went in one ear and out the other." Appura's hands shook more noticeably as he spoke until she dropped the half-full tea cup and ran from the room, tears streaming down her face. Goku and Gohan stared at Vegeta in silence, amazed at how rude he'd been to his own daughter. "Why do you always have to make her cry?" asked Trunks quietly, small tears in the corners of his eyes. Goten chose that moment to burst into tears. Over the sound of his wailing, Gohan heard the front door slam shut. The door of the living room burst open. A woman was stood there. She was almost identical to Appura only she was clearly older. Vegeta leapt out of his seat when he saw the look of pure fury on her face. Goten stopped crying and scrambled onto Goku's lap. Goku remained rooted to the spot in fear as did Gohan. The woman started walking forward and Vegeta backed away from her. "Who the hell do you think you are?" shouted the woman, moving further forward so Vegeta stumbled and fell over the coffee table, "You come into my house and start berating my daughter over what she wears? Listen up Vegeta, I agreed to allow you into Appura's life but I did not agree to you upsetting her like this!"

"She's my daughter too, Ima," barked Vegeta, getting to his feet, "And as my first-born, she is charged with learning our people's history."

"Yes, our history," said Ima, "But, listen up, Vegeta, she lives on Earth, she's a teenager, she's going to dress like an Earth teenager, we're not on Planet Vegeta anymore!" Vegeta didn't say anything, probably because he knew Ima was right.

"Go, and apologise to your daughter if you ever want to see her again," said Ima weakly. Vegeta didn't even look at her, he just left the room. Ima sank onto the sofa and put her head in her hands.

"Are you ok?" asked Goku as he released Goten. Goten scrambled off the sofa and ran off with Trunks to play outside.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Kakarot, it just wears me out fighting with Vegeta," said Ima. Goku looked surprised.

"How did you know my name?" asked Goku.

"Oh, I knew your brother, he spoke of you a couple of times," she said, waving a hand nonchalantly.

"I can't believe Apple Vee is Vegeta's daughter," said Gohan, quickly changing the subject away from his murderous uncle.

"Oh yeah she is!" said Ima, "She can be just as stubborn as he is if she feels like it and when her hair is cut too short, it stands up on end like his." She pulled off her cap and ran a hand through her hair. "You're not like other Saiyans are you?" said Goku.

"No, I'm not," said Ima, "I am...was a high priestess of Thuranz, serving the Elite and the Royal family of Vegeta. I've known Vegeta since he was a child and he's as stubborn and hard-headed as his father was." She covered her eyes.

"How did..." Gohan started.

"Did I survive the planet's destruction? Simple, I was off-planet with the King and Prince at the time," she answered in bored tone. A door slammed upstairs. She tilted her head as if listening in. She smiled a little. "He's apologising," she said quietly, "I knew I could still make him do what I wanted." She stood up and began to leave the room. Goku watched her dumbfounded for a moment before finding his voice. "How did you do that?" he called as he got up and followed her.


	2. Chapter 2 Party Time

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Appura and Ima.

A/N: Ok, so the first chapter was just a quick one. I just wanted to introduce the characters of Ima and Appura and show the somewhat strained relationship they have with Vegeta. This is currently called To Be Titled because I can't think of a title. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

**Chapter 2**

**Party time**

Gohan stretched out on the sand. He was at Kame House for Marron's fourth birthday party. The water lapped at his feet, he could hear Trunks and Goten splashing about in the sea with Marron, teaching her to swim. Behind him, he could hear his mother, Bulma, Videl and 18 all chatting; his father was chewing on a burger fresh off the barbeque whilst discussing a new training technique he was working on with Vegeta. Tien and Yamcha were also talking. It felt good, being in the sunshine, lying on the sand, completely at ease, completely relaxed except for a noise that sounded like a car heading for the island. He did a quick mental head count; nope, everyone was there. Who could that be? He sat up and scanned the horizon. He saw it coming from the north; a hover-car. He stood up.

"Calm down, Gohan," said Bulma, "It's just Ima and Appura."

"Ima and Appura are coming?" he said, thinking back to his visit the week before which had abruptly ended not long after Vegeta's 'apology' to his daughter when he had begun berating her for being so emotional she couldn't stop crying whenever he raised his voice. Gohan personally had thought Vegeta had been unreasonable but hadn't said anything until he'd gotten home and proceeded to have a good old rant with his mother as she washed dishes. Gohan and Chi-Chi often had little ranting sessions in the kitchen, not shouting at each other, but rather venting their frustrations in each other's company and offering a sympathetic ear to one another.

"Yep, I thought it was about time they met everybody plus Vegeta's on his best behaviour," said Bulma, bring Gohan from his reverie, "He starts on Appura in the slightest bit and I disconnect the gravity room." Vegeta's eyes flicked over at the mention of his beloved gravity room. He quickly looked away when he saw Bulma and Gohan looking over and sipped his beer. The hover-car started to land. Gohan looked up and saw Ima in the driver's seat. He raised his hand and waved. She waved back. The car landed and the engine powered down. Bulma hurried over as the door opened and Ima jumped out. "Hello, Bulma," she said, "It's good to see you again." Appura emerged just behind her. Gohan felt the bottom of his stomach drop out and a chill shuddered through him. She looked amazing. She wore a yellow bikini top under a white shirt and a denim skirt. Her hair was held back with a yellow headband and her tail poked out a well-placed hole in the back of her skirt.

Everyone was looking over so Bulma introduced them. "Ok guys, this is Ima and Appura, the Saiyans I told you about," she said.

"That's Vegeta's kid?" said Yamcha, staring in disbelief at Appura.

"Yes, that's my kid," said Vegeta, "Now kindly butt out, moron!" Bulma scowled at him.

"What? You never said anything about starting on that idiot," he said, turning back to his beer. Bulma humphed and turned back to introducing Appura and Ima to everyone. "Ok, so we've got Krillin, 18, Marron, Tien, Chiaotzu, Yamcha, Chi-Chi, Goku's wife, Videl, a friend of Gohan's," she said, pointing out each person individually, "That's Piccolo, Puar, Oolong and, that's Master Roshi."

The ancient Master stepped forward at that point. "I must say," he croaked, looking over the top of his glasses at the pair, "It's very nice to meet all of you." Ima's face hardened into a scowl as he stretched out a hand in the pretence of greeting the Saiyan High Priestess and her daughter. Ima didn't fall for it. Her fist collided with his face and sent him flying across the beach. "Pervert," she muttered under her breath. Appura didn't even flinch. She just stood stock still, her arms at her sides, staring at her feet. "Appura, are you ok?" asked Bulma, looking at the teenage girl.

"Actually, Appura would like to talk to you about something, Bulma," said Ima, pushing Appura forward a couple of steps. Bulma smiled and put her arm around her stepdaughter. Gohan watched as Bulma and Appura went inside. Ima bent down and whispered something in Vegeta's ear. Vegeta scowled for a moment and his eyes darted around as if he were double-checking where everyone was before standing and following Bulma and Appura. "I wonder what it is Appura needs to talk about with Bulma and Vegeta," said Goku, making his son jump.

"How'd you get there?" said Gohan, surprised.

"I walked," said Goku, not quite getting what his son meant. He slapped Gohan on the back before heading over to greet Ima.

Gohan wandered into Kame House, looking for more hot dog rolls. Bulma was sat on the couch with Appura, Vegeta was leaning against a wall. "It's no problem, Appura," said Bulma, "Just pop by Capsule Corp tomorrow and we'll work on it." She stopped when she saw Gohan walk in. Appura looked over her shoulder and blushed when she saw Gohan. "Hey, what are you guys talking about?" asked Gohan.

"Oh, girl stuff," said Bulma, waving a hand. Gohan looked from her to Vegeta. A joke jumped into his head about Vegeta being a girl because of the pink shirt he'd worn some years back but Gohan decided against it. He just carried on into the kitchen. "Ok, I'll see you outside," he heard Bulma say, but not to him. She and Vegeta left. Gohan looked around the kitchen, trying to decide where to look first. "W...W...Want a hand?" stuttered a quiet voice. Gohan turned around and saw Appura stood a few paces behind him. "Yeah, thanks, I'm just looking for some hot dog rolls," he said. She stepped forward. A strange scent hit Gohan. It smelt...good...really good. It took him a moment to realise that it was Appura. His brain went foggy as the scent filled his head. "Gohan!" He jumped and realised Appura had stepped around him and was looking in some of the cabinets for the rolls. He looked around but the only other person he could see was Vegeta, leaning in the doorway, his back to the Hybrid. Gohan shook his head and resumed his search for the rolls. Appura was stood on a chair, looking in one of the higher cabinets. "I..I think I found them," she said. Gohan pulled his head out of his cabinet. She was stood on tiptoes and stretching to reach.

"Appura, you shouldn't stretch like..." he started. The chair began to wobble and fell sideways. It only took a split second for Gohan to react. He caught Appura in his arms before she hit the ground. She looked shocked for a moment before realising she was safe. "Why didn't you just hover?" asked Gohan. She blushed and pushed herself out of his grip. "I err...can't fly," she said quietly as she bent down to pick up the packet that had fallen. Gohan's jaw dropped a little.

"You...you can't fly?" he said. Appura shook her head.

"Dad says it isn't p...proper for a Saiyan princess to fight or fly," she said, a little bitterness in her voice, "I really want to, but if I do anything to try to raise my power level, he comes down on me like a tonne of bricks. I mean, you saw how he reacted to me not serving him first last week." Gohan stayed quiet but pulled the kitchen door closed. "I...I mean, he flits in and out of my life and has all these demands. You know, he saw me once in five years but still had time to sleep with Bulma," she continued, "Y...you have no idea how much my mom had to fight for me to have my music career. He wanted to squash it out of me like he does everything else. I'm surprised he hasn't even commented on how I'm dressed today." She stopped, panting a little because she hadn't stopped to breath.

"Oh, that's because Bulma said if he starts on you, she'll disconnect the gravity room," said Gohan, "So he's picking on Yamcha instead. But don't take it personally; your dad is a bully. I've had the bruises and broken bones to prove it."

"Yeah, on Namek right?" said Appura. Gohan nodded. Krillin walked into the kitchen and looked at the two teens. "Oh, hey guys, I'm just looking for those rolls," he said.

"Oh, here, Krillin, s...sorry," said Appura, handing him the packet.

"Yeah, sorry, we got distracted, talking about how much of a bully Vegeta can be," said Gohan.

"Tell me about it," muttered Krillin, "He still calls me Baldy even though I have hair now, and he keeps calling 18 a toaster." Appura laughed a little.

"Feel better now?" asked Krillin. She nodded.

"Just think of it as a sign of affection," he said, "He wouldn't notice you if he didn't care about you." He turned around and left. "You know what, this is the longest conversation I've had with anyone who wasn't assigned to my record label in ages," Appura said, looking right at Gohan and taking a step forward. "Really?" said Gohan. Appura nodded.

"I don't have many friends," she said, smiling a little. Gohan took a deep breath and the scent filled his head again. "I'll be your friend," said Gohan, not thinking clearly.

"I'd like that," said Appura, smiling even more and stepping forward again. The scent grew stronger. Gohan was now utterly convinced that it was coming from her. He smiled back at her. She moved closer. Gohan couldn't help but look down at her. Her eyes were a beautiful deep blue. The white shirt she wore clung to gentle curves. Her legs were long and lean. To Gohan, everything about her seemed perfect. She was still moving closer to him, almost touching him. "Appura! Gohan!" called a voice. Appura moved away from Gohan and looked over at the doorway. Bulma was waving at them. "C'mon, it's time to sing happy birthday to Marron," she said.

Meanwhile...

Ima bent down next to the cool box and began searching for a drink. "Hi," said a voice. She looked up. The man Bulma had named as Yamcha was stood over her. "Hello," she said, pulling a bottle out of the ice-filled box and standing up. "So, you're Vegeta's ex," he said, sipping his own beer.

"That's me," she said, "And you are Bulma's ex?" He nodded.

"Well it's nice to finally meet the 'moron' Vegeta's told me so much about," she said, "Ima."

"Yamcha," replied Yamcha, "You look really good for a woman who's got an eighteen-year-old daughter."

"Seventeen," said Ima, "She's eighteen next month, but thank you. You're not so bad yourself either." She sent him a little wink.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Ima," said Yamcha, smirking a little, "Will I see you around again soon?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," said Ima, flicking the cap off her bottle with her thumb and walking away. She blushed slightly. She hadn't even entertained the idea of flirting with a man since Appura was born. Raising Appura had been her main goal but now Appura was a grown woman herself. She had even entered her first heat that very morning, hence why Vegeta was desperately trying to keep Kakarot and Gohan away from their daughter fairly unsuccessfully. He'd been distracted by Kakarot's challenge of a swimming race. Thankfully, Bulma was keeping an eye on the teenagers. She sighed lightly and sipped her drink.

Appura entering her first heat was certainly something to be proud of. It meant she was fully sexually mature. It also meant she became practically irresistible to every non-related adult Saiyan male, hence keeping Kakarot and Gohan at an arm's length. But now Ima realised how long it had been since she herself had been the object of a man's affections. Yamcha's compliment had been the first in over eighteen years. She looked over at the man. He wasn't bad looking, for a human of course. He was strong, possibly strong enough to keep a Saiyan female satisfied. She shook her head. No, she'd heard how he'd treated Bulma. She really should keep him at arm's length for now until she could be certain of his intentions. She saw 18 walk over to the large table with a birthday cake and was reminded of Appura's fifth birthday party, the only one Vegeta had ever attended and the only one he'd never been invited to.

He'd literally crashed the party, landing on the table, smashing it, in full Saiyan garb, sending twenty screaming five-year-olds into hysterics. That had been Appura's first meeting with her father and it had been a disaster. That was also the day she started stuttering when she was nervous. Vegeta had then vanished for two years before reappearing to inform them that he was going into intensive training for three years and would not be visiting for that length of time. The announcement had been shrugged off by Appura, she wasn't even bothered. When he finally showed up at her tenth birthday party, he decided to announce that she had a little brother from the heiress to the Capsule Corporation. Ima had been furious. Too busy to see his daughter, but not too busy to sleep with some woman, but she hadn't shown it. She'd never said anything. Let Vegeta make his own mistakes with Appura she had decided, she was sick of fighting him to make him do the right thing. The only reason she'd demanded he apologise last week was because they had company and she wanted to humiliate him as revenge for how he'd treated their daughter.

The group had gathered around the table and were singing happy birthday to the little blonde girl who was sat on her father's knee. Ima smiled but it felt painful. Appura had never sat on Vegeta's knee.

Later on that night...

Chi-Chi had been taken home by Videl with Goten and Trunks who had been falling asleep where they sat. Videl had a meeting with a career counsellor the next day so had to go home anyway. Marron was tucked up in bed, Master Roshi had dosed off on his sun lounger some hours before and Tien and Chiaotzu had also left. Krillin, 18, Goku, Bulma and Ima were sat on the large L-shaped couch, Appura was sat on the floor next to her mother's feet and Yamcha was sat on a chair with Gohan sat on the floor next to it. Vegeta was leaning against a wall as usual. They were all laughing and joking.

Ima's stories were getting the most laughs mainly because they were embarrassing ones about Vegeta's youth, such as his first visit to the temple as a child whilst Ima was a novice. He'd gotten separated from his father and lost in the temple's catacombs. He'd been so scared he had thought the priests and priestesses of the temple to be ghosts and had run away from them, 'screaming like a little girl'. Vegeta didn't enjoy the stories so much.

"So Ima, you were an adult when Vegeta was a kid...how old are you?" asked Goku.

"Seventy-five," Vegeta piped up before anyone else could say anything.

"N...No, dad," said Appura, "She's eighty-five." She sniggered at the sight of colour draining from Yamcha's face. She let him stew for a second before letting out a laugh.

"Just kidding, Yamcha, sh...she's seventy-five," she laughed. Vegeta smirked.

"I've never been prouder of you," he said to Appura.

"Damn, hope I look that good when I'm in my seventies," said Krillin.

"The wonder of Saiyan genetics," said Bulma, rolling her eyes.

"Saiyans stay in their prime longer," said Vegeta, "My father was over a hundred years old when I was born." Yamcha's face still didn't regain its colour. Ima decided it was time to leave.

"Appura, c'mon it's time to go," she said. Appura got to her feet and followed her mother towards the door. She looked over her shoulder. "G...Goodbye everyone, goodbye Gohan," she said, smiling. Vegeta growled a little.

"Vegeta, down boy!" said Ima as they left.


	3. Chapter 3 Extra Terrestrial

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with any of the Dragonball series. I own Ima and Appura.

A/N: Warning, this chapter contains a quite graphic scene so if stuff like that makes you uncomfortable, you may want to skip the part in italics later on.

**Chapter 3**

**Extra Terrestrial**

The phone rang. And rang. And rang. Finally Ima gave up on Appura answering it and answered it herself. "Hello?"

"_Ima? It's Yamcha_," said the voice on the other end.

"Yamcha? How'd you get this number?" asked Ima.

"_Bulma gave it to me. I was just wondering, do you want to maybe meet up and get a drink tonight? Maybe a bite to eat at that new bar and grill place?"_

"You do know Saiyan appetites right?"

"_Yeah._"

"You're insane for inviting me, Yamcha. But ok, bring your wallet. Meet you at there at seven?"

"_Sure. See you later._" Ima hung up. Ok, so she had told herself to keep Yamcha at arm's length for now but what the hell? It wasn't everyday a man called up and offered to take her to dinner. She set off up the stairs. In the upper floor of the house were two bedrooms, two bathrooms and Appura's home recording studio. Appura preferred to record her music at home. She always felt uncomfortable at the label's studio, like people were looking over her shoulder at something private. Ima could hear Appura as she stepped onto the landing.

Appura was in her room, apparently on the other line as she was talking to someone. Ima went to the furthest door, the door to Appura's bedroom. She knocked on the door once before opening it. Appura was sat, cross-legged on her bed, a phone in her hand. "Oh, Gohan, I...I have to go," she said, "You going to my dad and Bulma's later? Cool. Speak to you soon." Ima smiled as Appura hung up. Her little girl was coming out her shell again and her stutter was slightly improved. Vegeta's infrequent visits and constant belittlement had made Appura a shy and nervous person. But talking to Gohan had made her a little more confident. She smiled more. Ima had been unsure about Appura making friends with a boy, mainly due to Appura starting her heats but Bulma had helped them out a lot.

She had developed a Saiyan equivalent of the Pill. Bulma had already developed one form of it so that she didn't 'produce any more mini-Vegeta's' was how she had put it. Using that as a base, she had developed one that should suppress Appura's heats and therefore make it safe for her to be around Goku and Gohan without them going all cavemen and dragging her off to their cave. Not that either of them would have realised what they were doing.

Saiyan heats revolved around the moon on their planet of birth. Ima went into heat once every eight years. Appura would come into heat once a month, lasting three days and reaching its peak on the day of the full moon. Luckily, first heats weren't that strong and Marron's party had been the day before the full moon. "Mom?" said Appura. Ima blinked and looked at her daughter.

"Sorry, honey. Look, I'm...going out for dinner with a friend tonight, so can you call your dad and see if you can hang out there tonight?" Ima said softly, carefully avoiding the words 'date' and 'Yamcha' in case Appura accidentally let slip something to Vegeta. He was insanely jealous at times.

"Ok mom," she said, "But tell me, is this a date?" Ima smirked.

"Maybe," she said, slyly.

"Ok, so Appura has my number in case you need me," said Ima as she rechecked her purse to check she had everything, "She's already eaten so she shouldn't need to eat again..."

"Ima," Bulma cut off the Saiyan woman, "This is Appura's father's home...she can help herself to the phone, internet, food, showers, bedrooms, everything. I love that girl as if she was my own; you have nothing to worry about." Ima sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose out of nervous habit.

"I know, Bulma, I just...feel guilty for leaving her here," said Ima.

"You shouldn't," said Bulma, "Vegeta's been such a crappy dad with her the least we can do is let her hang out here so YOU can have some time to yourself, and apparently get laid." She indicated Ima's outfit. Tight jeans tucked into knee high black leather boots, a black halter-neck top that showed just a hint of cleavage and a black leather jacket. Her hair was tied back and her make-up was seductive. Vegeta marched into the room. "I don't see why she has to stay here," he barked, "She's distracting Trunks from his training." Ima seethed.

"Ok, first of all, Bulma, the guy isn't going to get laid, he's just gonna think he is," said Ima, "And Vegeta, either you let your daughter hang out here tonight or I go through Earth's legal system and sue you and Bulma for every penny you've got in back child support." Vegeta stayed silent for a moment, locked in a silent battle of wills with his ex-bed partner.

"What time are you coming back?" he asked, relenting.

"I should be back around midnight, if I won't be I'll call you," she said and she moved to leave. The door opened and Goku and Gohan walked in. "Whoa! Ima! Looking good!" said Goku, "Where are you off to?"

"Mama's got a date!" said Ima as she walked past him.

"Ok, see you later!" said Goku, shutting the door as she left. When she was gone, Goku turned to Vegeta.

"Dammit Vegeta, you get all the best-looking women," he said.

"Bitch," Vegeta muttered, staring at the door that Ima had left through.

"Huh?"

"Her, not you," said Vegeta still glaring at the door as if it had wronged him in some way.

"Oh, pipe down and go watch some TV with your kids," snapped Bulma.

"Appura's here?" said Gohan, hopefully but he backed down when he heard Vegeta growl in his throat like he usually did when he was pissed.

"Hey, how about we make the most of the remaining day light and go outside and spar?" suggested Goku, trying to calm Vegeta down or at least distract him.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," said Bulma, "All of you outside, now!"

Appura sat on the grass, watching as Goku and her father sparred in the air. She felt a faint pang of jealousy. She wished she could fly and was strong enough to spar with the others. Goku and her dad came back to earth. Goku sat himself down next to Appura and picked up a bottle of water. "Your turn, Gohan," he said before taking a sip. Gohan looked from his father to Vegeta.

"Dad, he looks pretty pissed," he started.

"Yeah, enjoy," said Goku. Gohan sighed and then launched himself at Vegeta. He swung for Vegeta's head. Vegeta dodged it and countered with a kick to Gohan's side. They started moving faster than Appura could see. She could vaguely see them moving about the sky above her. Trunks and Goten started cheering the pair of them on, Trunks rooting for Vegeta, Goten for Gohan. Appura lay backwards so she could see the sky without craning her neck, her legs stretching out in front of her.

Gohan caught a glimpse of her in the corner of his eye. His gaze was drawn to her legs, beautiful, long and lean. Vegeta surprised him with an elbow to his side, sending him hurtling towards the ground and straight for Appura. Gohan regained control of his fall just before he landed on Appura, hovering about four inches over her. She'd raised her arms to protect her head and she parted them slightly to see why she hadn't been hit by 155 pounds of Saiyan Hybrid. She moved them when she saw him hovering. Gohan smirked a trademark Saiyan smirk. He then powered up and went Super Saiyan right before her eyes.

Appura's eyes widened as his hair lifted from his scalp and turned golden and his black eyes turned a pupil-less blue-green. He smiled again, but now it was different. When Gohan had smiled at her before, it had made her stomach feel warm but this made it feel like the bottom had dropped out and she felt a little sick. Her breath caught in her throat. He flew over her, turned around and headed back towards Vegeta. Appura laid stock still for a moment, gasping for her breath. "You ok?" asked Goku. Appura turned her head to look at him. Her face was flushed and her pupils were dilated.

"Yeah," she replied, "I'm fine." She sat up and craned her head. Gohan moved so much faster and his attacks so much powerful. Goku grinned at the look of fascination on her face. "What...what is that?" asked Appura. Goku laughed.

"You've never seen a Super Saiyan before?" he laughed. Appura shook her head. Goku chuckled a little more before transforming himself. Trunks and Goten copied him and when Appura looked back up, Vegeta too had transformed. Goku smiled. He could see a little glint in her eyes that he knew. Gohan had had that same glint in his eye the first time he had trained with Goku. It was the innate Saiyan desire to fight and it was fighting its way up inside the Saiyan princess.

Appura lay in her bed that night, staring at the ceiling. Her mother had returned to Capsule Corp about eleven thirty that night, had stated her date was fairly successful and that she would be going out with her mystery date later on in the week. Bulma had immediately jumped in and offered to have Appura stay overnight. But that wasn't what occupied Appura's thoughts. It was Gohan. Gohan and his Super Saiyan transformation. She couldn't stop thinking about it; the sheer power that had buffeted off her body as he transformed, tickling her skin as air was displaced and the sheer proximity of his body to hers. She felt her heart rate rise and she took a deep breath. She had to stop thinking about it or she'd never get to sleep. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind, ignoring the heat that had been rising in her body when she thought of the Hybrid. She rolled onto her side and willed herself to sleep. Slowly she drifted off.

_She opened her eyes. She was lying on a table or high-rise bed or something. The room was bland, uninteresting. There was a light shining down on her. She looked around and looked out a window. She was in space! She could see the stars zipping past the window! She sat bolt upright on the edge of the table. She was still in her pyjamas; a vest top and some matching in shorts in a pale blue colour. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up on end; there was someone behind her! She spun her head round. Whoever it was had moved and fast. They were stood in front of her. She looked in front of her just in time to see a blur move behind her. The temperature dropped and she shivered. Goosebumps jumped up on her skin because she didn't have the same resistance to temperature other Saiyans had. 'Stupid Dad and his no-fighting rule,' she thought as she once again wished she knew how to control her ki like he did. She looked behind her. They moved again, she swung her bead back to the front. Whoever it was, they were hiding in the shadows. "Come out," she said, her voice wobbling more than she would have liked. The stranger stepped forward and out of the shadows. It was Gohan and he was a Super Saiyan._

_He walked forward until he was right in front of her. Appura caught herself staring into the pupil-less green-blue eyes and getting lost in them. Her stomach felt like the bottom had dropped out. Her insides felt hot but her skin was still insisting that it was frozen. Was it even possible to be burning and freezing at the same time? He stopped right in front of her. His hand stretched out and tucked her hair behind her ear, trailing a burning path across her temple, down behind her ear and down her neck. His touch felt like an electric shock passed through her. She gasped as his fingers made contact with the thin skin on her neck. Her eyes closed. She felt him bend down and place a kiss next to her right eye where he had started. Her breath caught in her throat again as his lips burnt on her skin more than his fingers had. He gently brushed his lips along her ear lobe as his other hand reached around and held the back of her head, his fingers delving into her hair. _

_Appura felt herself being pushed backwards to lie down and found she could not resist. He kissed her again at the point where her ear met her neck and continued to follow his fingers route down her neck to the top of her chest where he nipped at the skin. She gasped. He nipped at her skin again then dipped his tongue onto the bite mark. Heat began rising between her legs. His hand left her hair and trailed down her neck, gently stroking the side of her breast as he went, tickling her stomach making her muscles shift as he went, slowly trailing down as he nipped at her neck before his hand dipped between her legs..._

Appura sat bolt upright, panting. She looked around and felt slightly comforted by the daylight streaming in through the windows and the fact she was in her own bed. She shifted uncomfortably. That had been one of the most vivid dreams she had ever had. She took some deep breaths and ran her hands through her hair. Words began flashing through her mind. She scrambled out of bed and rushed over to her desk. She flipped open her notebook to a clean page and began scribbling:

You're so supersonic,

Wanna feel your powers, stun me with your lasers,

Your kiss is cosmic,

Every move is magic

She looked down at the words and more began to flow out. She grabbed her phone with her left hand as she continued to scribble words down. She punched in a number without looking. The phone rang for a second. "_West City Records,_" said a voice on the other end.

"Rich M...M...Masters please," said Appura as she continued to write.

"_Who's calling please?_"

"A...A...Appura Vegeta," Appura reeled off, still staring in amazement at the lyrics beginning to form on her page. There was a series of beeps as she was connected.

"_Appura! How are you!_" came the voice of Rich Masters, her agent at West City Records.

"Fine Rich, look you know that music that you had floating around that needed lyrics," said Appura, "I've got some, c...can we put it on the album?"

"_Yeah, you want to come in tomorrow to record it?_"

"You betcha, this is going to be good," she said as she scribbled down a title for the song:

Extra Terrestrial


	4. Chapter 4 Prom

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Appura and Ima.**

**Chapter 4**

**Prom**

Gohan lifted his head from the pillow as the phone rang. He really should get up but he was still exhausted from the six-hour training session he'd had with his dad the day before. He heard his mother pick up the phone and put his head back down. He was just about to doze off again when his bedroom door flew open and the phone was shoved in his face. "It's Videl," said Chi-Chi, "Get up, it's almost lunch time." He took the phone and watched as his mother storm off, clearly in the midst of cooking lunch. "Hello," Gohan croaked before coughing to clear his throat, "Hello?"

"_Gohan! How are you doing?_"

"Hey Videl, I'm ok, though I took a right beating off my dad yesterday during training," said Gohan, wiping his eyes.

"_Ok, look, the reason I'm calling is Erasa called this morning and the prom committee wants to know who you've got to play at the Prom and how much it's going to cost._" Gohan nearly dropped the phone. He'd completely forgotten about that! He'd volunteered to find a band to perform at prom before New Year and had then completely forgotten about it! "Err," he said, racking his brain. There was no hope of booking a band two weeks before prom. Then Appura popped into his mind. "I'm onto something, just waiting to confirm the final details and I'll call you back," he said quickly, "I'll call you back in a bit, ok?"

"_Ok, Gohan, I was sure you'd have something but Erasa was convinced you'd forgotten!_"

"Nah, I'm on it, talk to you later Videl," Gohan said as he sat up.

"_Bye Gohan!_" She hung up. Gohan hung up and then let out a yell. He got up and started getting dressed. The door opened and Goku poked his head in. "What was with the yelling?" he asked.

"Sorry, Dad, Videl just called and asked if I'd booked a band for Prom yet and I'd completely forgot," said Gohan as he pulled a t-shirt over his head, "I'll never get a band, but I do have an idea." He grabbed the phone from his bed and started putting in a number. The phone rang and rang, but no answer. "Dammit," said Gohan, ending the call. Goku shook his head and left. Gohan punched in another number. The phone rang for second.

"_Hello, Briefs residence, Trunks speaking._"

"Trunks! Hey buddy, is Appura there? She's not answering at home," said Gohan calmly. He didn't need an angry phone call from Bulma because Trunks had started bouncing off the walls.

"_No, she's in the studio today_," replied Trunks.

"Oh, do you know the number, I really need to talk to her," said Gohan.

"_Hang on a second,_" Gohan heard Trunks put the phone on a table or something, "_DAD! DAD! Do you have the number for the studio? Gohan wants to talk to Appura!_" Gohan couldn't hear Vegeta's reply clearly but it sounded distinctly like 'Ask your mother'. 'Great parenting there, Vegeta,' Gohan thought, 'Pass it all on to Bulma.' There was some more yelling and Gohan heard Trunks pick the phone back up. "_Ok, Gohan, the number is..._" Trunks reeled off some numbers and Gohan had to memorise them because he didn't have a pen. "Ok, thanks Trunks. I'll see you soon, buddy," said Gohan.

"_Oh, yay! Bring Goten with you! I've got this new video game and..._"

"Trunks, I have to go, ok?"

"_Ok, see you soon Gohan!_" Gohan hung up and quickly dialled the new number before he forgot it.

"_Hello, West City Records_," trailed a dull voice.

"Err, hi, I need to speak to Apple Vee," said Gohan, mentally slapping himself straight away for using her stage name. She must get hundreds of fans calling, asking for her that name.

"_Sorry, Apple Vee doesn't take calls from fans_," replied the dull voice.

"Look, I'm not a fan, I'm a friend of hers," said Gohan.

"_Yeah, right_."

"Look, can you just tell her that Son Gohan is on the phone? It's urgent," said Gohan desperately.

"_Fine, please hold_." Gohan heard cheesy elevator music playing. He sat down and took a deep breath. A minute later the music stopped. "_Gohan?_" came Appura's voice.

"Oh thank Kami!" said Gohan, "Appura, I need your help. I messed up really bad! I was supposed to book a band for my school's prom in two weeks and I forgot!"

"_W...W...What do you need me for?_"

"Appura, please, will you perform at my prom," he said, "It won't be for the whole night! We've got a DJ covering most of it, but we need a live performer." Appura was silent.

"_Ok I'll do it for free, but you owe me big for this_."

"Thank you, Appura," said Gohan, "You're an angel!"

"_I'm your princess, I'm supposed to take care of my subjects_," replied Appura.

"Thank you, you've saved my skin," he said, "Aliens and evil androids I can handle, but I don't know if I could deal with Videl and Erasa when they're mad."

"_See you s...soon, Gohan_," said Appura, laughing.

"See you soon, Appura," said Gohan and he hung up.

"Done racking up the phone bill yet?" asked Chi-Chi as she popped her head round the door, "Lunch is nearly ready."

"Just a minute, mom, I've got one more phone call to make," said Gohan as he started dialling Videl's number.

"_Videl Satan_," came a voice.

"Videl, it's Gohan," said Gohan, "Great news, we've got Apple Vee playing at our prom! And she's doing it for free!"

"_You forgot didn't you?_"

"What?"

"_I know you did because never in a million years would you have thought of asking Appura if you hadn't been in a bind! That and you didn't even know her when you were supposed to have booked the band!_"

"Sorry, Videl."

"_It's ok, Gohan. You did well. I won't tell anyone on the committee. See you around!_"

"See you, Videl."

2 weeks later...

Goku fidgeted in his suit. He and Chi-Chi had been roped into chaperoning the Orange Star high school prom. Chi-Chi shot him a warning look. He settled down. Gohan was stood with them. Everyone was looking up at the large stage that had been set up in the gym. A large orange curtain was blocking it off from view. Gohan swallowed nervously. He'd never seen Appura actually perform live and now he was beginning to wonder if she was one of those singers who sounded great on their albums but sucked when they sang live. The curtain began to move, revealing Appura's live band and backing singers. Appura herself was stood with her back to the crowd. Gohan's eyes widened when he saw her dress. It was a little black dress with emphasis on the little. The skirt stopped maybe an inch or two below her butt. It was strapless and looked like it had a corset top. Gohan wondered where she was hiding her tail. She was wearing stiletto heels that looked like they weren't very comfortable. The crowd cheered a little. The backing singers singing a tune and a guitar started strumming. Appura lifted her right arm. Gohan saw that she held a microphone. She began to sing,

"_Baby, can't you see? I'm calling,  
>A guy like you should wear a warning,<br>It's dangerous, I'm fallin'._

_There's no escape, I can't wait,  
>I need a hit,<br>Baby, give me it,_

_You're dangerous, I'm lovin' it._"

She turned around as the male backing singer sang his bit. She strode towards the front of the stage, swinging her hips a little. Gohan immediately left his parent's side and hurried into the crowd of students that was gathered in front of the stage. Gohan didn't really hear the rest of the words. He couldn't over the screaming of the crowd. Appura stopped singing and smiled to the crowd. She waved at them all.

"Ok, this next one is off my new album that's out in two months," she said, "I hope you enjoy it!" She fixed her mic into its stand. The band started playing.

"_You're so hypnotizing__  
><em>_Could you be the devil? Could you be an angel?__  
><em>_Your touch magnetizing__  
><em>_Feels like I am floating, leaves my body glowing_

_They say be afraid__  
><em>_You're not like the others, futuristic lover__  
><em>_Different DNA__  
><em>_They don't understand you_

_You're from a whole other world__  
><em>_A different dimension__  
><em>_You open my eyes__  
><em>_And I'm ready to go, lead me into the light_

_Kiss me, ki-ki-kiss me__  
><em>_Infect me with your love and__  
><em>_Fill me with your poison_

_Take me, ta-ta-take me__  
><em>_Wanna be a victim__  
><em>_Ready for abduction_

_Boy, you're an alien__  
><em>_Your touch so foreign__  
><em>_It's supernatural__  
><em>_Extraterrestrial_

_You're so supersonic__  
><em>_Wanna feel your powers, stun me with your lasers__  
><em>_Your kiss is cosmic__  
><em>_Every move is magic_

_You're from a whole other world__  
><em>_A different dimension_

_You open my eyes__  
><em>_And I'm ready to go, lead me into the light_

_Kiss me, ki-ki-kiss me__  
><em>_Infect me with your love and__  
><em>_Fill me with your poison_

_Take me, ta-ta-take me__  
><em>_Wanna be a victim__  
><em>_Ready for abduction_

_Boy, you're an alien__  
><em>_Your touch so foreign__  
><em>_It's supernatural__  
><em>_Extraterrestrial_

_This is transcendental__  
><em>_On another level__  
><em>_Boy, you're my lucky star_

_I wanna walk on your wavelength__  
><em>_And be there when you vibrate__  
><em>_For you I'll risk it all_

_Kiss me, ki-ki-kiss me__  
><em>_Infect me with your love and__  
><em>_Fill me with your poison_

_Take me, ta-ta-take me__  
><em>_Wanna be a victim__  
><em>_Ready for abduction_

_Boy, you're an alien__  
><em>_Your touch so foreign__  
><em>_It's supernatural__  
><em>_Extraterrestrial, extraterrestrial, extraterrestrial_

_Boy, you're an alien__  
><em>_Your touch so foreign__  
><em>_It's supernatural__  
><em>_Extraterrestrial_."

She pulled away from the mic. The crowd was going absolutely crazy. Appura smiled. As Apple Vee, she could be anything she wanted to be. "Thank you very much, I'll be back in a little while," she said. Gohan fought his way through the crowd and out the gym. He found the classroom that was being used as a backstage area. Appura was drinking some water and leaning against a desk. "Appura that was amazing!" he said, "You were so...so..." He couldn't think of a word so he opted for a different tact. "Does your dad know you've come dressed like that?" he asked, indicating the dress. Appura blushed a little and looked down. "Err, no," she said, "He'd be d...d...dragging me out of here k...k...kicking and screaming if he knew. Thankfully he doesn't listen to my...my music, or he'd flip out."

"Yeah, it's very..."

"Sexy," suggested Appura, smiling. Gohan suddenly became aware of the fact that they were alone.

"Y...yeah," it was his turn to stutter. Appura stood up straight. She couldn't help remembering her dream about him. She wondered if he actually looked like he did in her dream, a rock solid body of pure muscle but with the softest of touches. She started walking towards him. "So who's your date?" she asked.

"Err, I don't have a date," he said as she got closer. She was very close now. She reached out and straightened his lapel. "You're on your own?" she whispered. Gohan took a deep breath. She smelt good again, almost as good as she had at Marron's party. He lifted his hand to stroke her hair. It was soft and silky. He started to lean in. The door opened. "Hey guys, you're missing a great party," called Goku's voice. He saw the two fly apart and look away from each other. "I'm gonna go t...talk to Videl," said Appura. She slipped past the two Son men and disappeared. Goku waited til she was gone before turning to his red-faced son. "You have a crush on Appura!" he said, pointing a finger at his son.

"Dad! Shut up!" said Gohan through clenched teeth.

"Aw, I'm so proud of you, son, after nothing came of you and Videl, I'd almost given up on you," said Goku, pulling Gohan into a one-armed hug, "Hey, imagine what it would be like to have the Prince of all Saiyans as your father-in-law."

"Dad, cut it out, I could never get a girl like Appura," said Gohan, pulling away from his dad, "She's a superstar AND a princess, she's gonna get some rich, handsome guy who Vegeta loves."

"He's never gonna love any guy she brings home," said Goku, "But I'm willing to bet if she took you home, he'd at least like you."

"Dad, just leave it, and don't tell Vegeta about what almost happened," said Gohan as his dad put an arm around his shoulders and led him out of the classroom.

"It'll be our little secret!" said Goku, cheerfully.

"Dad, you've never kept a secret in your life," said Gohan.

Gohan dropped down at the table. Erasa and Sharpner were sat next to each other. Videl was sat with her date, a guy almost the same size as Gohan named Derik who she'd met at her father's gym. There was an empty seat next to Gohan. "What's the matter, nerd?" said Derik, "No date?"

"Derik, leave Gohan alone," said Videl.

"Yeah, Gohan's destined for great things, he's the smartest kid in our class," said Erasa, "He'll get all the girls when he's rich and famous."

"Dork!" spat Derik, wobbling a little in his seat. Gohan sniffed the air. Booze, he could smell it on Derik. Great, not only had Videl brought an asshole to prom, she'd brought a drunk as well. "Whatever," said Derik, "Not worth my time. I don't know what you ever saw in him, Videl, he's a stupid nerd! A pathetic little weakling!" Gohan stood up, knocking his chair over. Derik staggered to his feet as well. Gohan's fist clenched. He was distracted by the feeling of an arm circling round his neck, a hand grasping his clenched fist and kiss being pecked on his cheek. "Gohan, babe, there you are, sorry I got held up talking to fans," said a voice. Gohan blinked. Appura was stood next to him, leaning against him, smiling up at him. He looked back towards Derik. Goku had his arms under Derik's and was dragging him outside. When Goku had successfully dragged the jerk outside, Appura pulled away. Gohan instantly wished she had stayed there. "That's two you owe me," she said, grinning.

"Thanks, Appura," said Gohan, "Why don't you stay and eat with us? Derik's meal looks like it's going to waste." Appura thought about it for a second.

"Ok," she said, "I'll stay, that can be one of those you owe me." Gohan smiled and pulled a chair out for her. Could this count as a date?

A/N: Songs used are 'Toxic' by Britney Spears and 'E.T.' by Katy Perry.


	5. Chapter 5 Home Invasion

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for Ima and Appura

A/N: This is set about two months after the last chapter. I don't know when I'll be uploading the next chapter as I've got a wedding to go to this weekend so bear with me and I'll get number 6 up ASAP.

Chapter 5

Home Invasion

Appura watched as her mother paced up and down in front of her. Today was the day, Ima had promised to reveal who her mystery lover was. She'd been going out with him a couple of times a week every week since that first date. Appura even knew that he'd stayed overnight at least once because she'd heard the door opening and closing and hushed voices. Her mother had even stayed at his a couple of times. It had been going on for three months now and finally Ima felt ready. "Ok," said Ima, finally coming to a stop, "Ok, so he's going to be here soon but you have to promise two things. First, don't freak out, second, don't tell your dad because he'll freak out even more."

"M...Mom, it'll be fine," said Appura, "Please tell me."

"Ok," said Ima taking a deep breath and sitting down opposite Appura, "It's Yamcha." Appura's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Y...Y...Yamcha?" said Appura, "You've been dating Yamcha? You're having Bulma's sloppy seconds?"

"She had mine," said Ima defensively, "But that's not the point. The point is, we've been going out and I actually really like him. He's been nothing but a gentleman."

"Mom, you know how he treated B...B...Bulma," said Appura, crossing her arms, "All those stories of him going out with other girls while claiming he loved her. It drove her so crazy that she jumped into bed with d...dad just to get back at him!"

"He's different now," said Ima, "In the whole three months we've been dating, he hasn't been near another woman. I would have been able to smell it if he had." Appura tried to find some flaw in her mother's logic but could find none. She sighed.

"If he makes you happy, m... mom, then that's fine by me," she said, "But you will have to tell Dad eventually. Or maybe you plan on telling him right when you push out Yamcha's kids?"

"That's enough sass off you, young lady," said Ima, "Look, I'll tell your dad when I'm sure he won't freak out too much but for now, it's our secret. Now, we're going out tonight, will you be ok on your own? I know that you're staying here because your dad and Bulma have got a house full tonight."

"I'll be fine, mom, I'm a big girl now," said Appura, "I think I can survive one night on my own. Plus, if I need anything, the Son family are staying at Capsule Corp, G...Goku can be here in under three seconds."

"How'd I get an amazing kid like you?"

"You're just lucky!" said Appura, smiling.

Appura woke just a little before midnight that night. She thought she'd heard something. Her eyes darted around in the darkness but she couldn't see anything. She sniffed. There it was, the unmistakable stench of a stranger. Thank Kami for a Saiyan's sense of smell. She heard glass breaking and realised that someone was breaking in. She slowly reached up to the phone next to her bed. She held it to her ear. There was no dial tone, they'd cut the line. She gulped. She heard glass being crushed under someone's foot. She started to panic. Her first night home alone and someone was breaking in.

Ima smiled as Yamcha poured her another glass of red wine. She cautiously checked her cell phone. Nothing. No calls or messages from Appura. She was probably in bed asleep. "I'm glad you still wanted to come out tonight," said Yamcha as Ima looked back up from her phone, "There's something I wanted to ask you." He put the bottle back down on the table and reached into his pocket. "Ima, I love you," he said gently. Ima's stomach tied itself in knots.

"I love spending time with you and well..." he said, "Will...will you marry me?" Ima gasped. She had not expected that. "Yamcha, I..." she stuttered.

"I understand if you want to say 'no' and leave it for a while," said Yamcha quickly, "It's...complicated obviously because of Vegeta and Appura but I just wanted you to know how I felt."

"Yamcha...I...yes," said Ima, "Yes."

"You...really? You mean it," said Yamcha, his face lighting up.

"Yes," said Ima, smiling. Yamcha beamed and stood up. He leant over the table and gave her a kiss before reaching back into his pocket and pulling out a ring. Ima smiled up at him, trying to remember the last time she was as happy as she was at that moment and she knew exactly when that had been; the day she had given birth to Appura.

Appura sniffed the air. She could identify two distinct scents. Two men. She lay frozen in fear in her bed. Despite being a full-blooded Saiyan, she had been raised on earth in relative peace and did not possess the innate bravery her father and Goku did. The two men were making their way closer and closer to her bedroom. Appura closed her eyes, hoping to feign sleep if the two men should come in. 'Help,' she thought, 'someone, please, help me!'

Gohan couldn't sleep; he just lay on his bed, looking at the ceiling. Something wasn't right but he couldn't figure it out. He put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind, but it didn't work. He sat up and put his feet on the floor. He could hear his father downstairs with Vegeta and Bulma. His mother was already in bed and Goten and Trunks were asleep in Trunks' room. He stood up, put on his clothes and headed back downstairs. Bulma, Vegeta and Goku were relaxing in the main sitting room, the TV on in the background. Goku was telling a story, Bulma was laughing between sips of her rosé wine while Vegeta was nursing a half-empty glass of red. He clearly had something else on his mind but neither Goku nor Bulma noticed as they continued talking over each other. Gohan shut the door behind him a little more forcefully than was necessary. Bulma and Goku stopped talking immediately and looked over at him.

"Hey Gohan," said Bulma, "Can't you sleep?" Gohan shook his head.

"Come sit down, your dad and I were just talking about the first time we met Yamcha," she said. Gohan sat on the sofa next to Vegeta, who was still staring at his wine glass. Gohan tried to relax and leant against the back of the sofa as Bulma and Goku resumed talking. It didn't work; he was agitated and restless. He sat up and then leant forward, resting his forearms on his upper legs. The window was opened, allowing a cool breeze into the room. Gohan closed his eyes and took a deep breath in through his nose. He saw something in the back of his mind. It was Appura lying on her bed, frozen in fear. Two strange men were in her house. Gohan's eyes flew open and he stood up. "Whoa! Where's the fire, Gohan?" said Goku, laughing. Gohan turned his head to look at Vegeta. The Saiyan Prince nodded. He felt it too. Gohan ran from the room with Vegeta just behind him, heading for the main door. He didn't have time to put shoes on, all his thoughts were of Appura and how he needed to save her. He pushed the main door open and took straight to the air. He'd never flown so fast in his life; he was directing himself purely on instincts. His Saiyan senses had picked up on the scent of Appura's fear and the scent of two strange men in her house. He didn't even know how he knew she was in trouble; he just knew she needed help.

Appura pulled the covers over her head. The men were just outside her door. She was absolutely paralyzed with fear. Tears leaked out her eyes as she begged herself not to break down and start crying. She heard the door handle turn and the door opened. "There she is," said one of the men. She heard them start coming forward. She could see them now her eyes were used to the dark from the gap between her covers and her mattress. She heard the rustle of clothing as they extended an arm towards her. Her Saiyan fighting instincts kicked in for a second and she swung her leg, catching the guy behind his knee. He dropped to one knee, banging his chin on the bedside table. Appura rolled over and out of bed. She dodged around the two men and ran out the bedroom.

She ran into the hallway but didn't get too far. She felt two arms grab her around her waist and brought her to the ground, winding her. She rolled over but felt a fist collide with her face and then another with her stomach. She coughed and spluttered and readied herself for the next hit. But it didn't come. She heard another window break. "What the hell? Who are you?" said one of the men.

"Your worst nightmare," snarled a voice. It was her dad. She felt the weight of the guy on her being lifted off. She heard two yells, two thumps and then silence. The light came on and she blinked. Gohan's face appeared above her. "Appura, are you ok?" he said. His voice shook with worry. He gently held onto her upper arms and lifted her up so she was sitting. She winced. "You're hurt," said Gohan gently.

"I'll be fine," she hissed, her stomach really hurting.

"WHERE THE HELL IS YOUR MOTHER?" barked Vegeta.

"Sh...She...She's out, she's on a date," said Appura. Vegeta was seething.

"I'm gonna call the police," said Gohan quietly and he left Appura alone on the landing with her father.

Ima's smile only faltered once that whole evening and that was when she came home. There were several police cars waiting on the driveway. "Oh Kami," she whispered, letting go of Yamcha's hand as they walked up the drive, "Appura!" She ran the rest of the way with Yamcha just behind her. She burst through the open front door, calling her daughter's name. She was pointed towards the sitting room by a police officer. She ran in and saw her. Appura sat on the sofa, Gohan next to her. Vegeta and Goku were leaning against the wall. "Oh, my baby, are you ok?" she cried, rushing forward, sitting on the opposite side to Gohan and pulling Appura into her arms. "What happened?" she asked.

"Home invasion," said a police officer, "Appura's father and his friends came over when they were unable to put a call through to the house. Looks like they cut the line. We're done here." Ima tightened her hold on her daughter who seemed ok except for some bruises. The officers left. "Where were you?" snarled Vegeta, "Appura says you were on a date, you left her alone!"

"Vegeta, our daughter is an adult now," said Ima, "So excuse me for thinking she'd be ok for one night on her own!"

"Yeah, it's just bad luck, no one's fault," said Yamcha. Vegeta suddenly noticed the man who had stayed by the door. "What are you doing here?" he barked. Yamcha didn't even flinch, he just waited whilst Vegeta put two and two together. "You?" snarled Vegeta, "You're the one Ima has been seeing? You're the reason my daughter was left unprotected?"

"Vegeta!" snapped Ima, still clutching Appura, "I will not allow you to speak to my fiancé that way!"

"F...Fiancé?" stuttered Vegeta, looking from Ima to Yamcha and back again.

"Look, Vegeta, none of this would have happened if you had let Appura learn to fight," said Ima, "It's not like she had the dozen round the clock bodyguards other princesses had, and you're not here all the time either! If this is anyone's fault, it's yours! Now, go, thank you for saving her and looking after her, but I will not have you talk to Yamcha and I like that!" Vegeta snarled and started to leave. Yamcha stepped away from him as the angry prince passed him. Gohan passed him next. He whispered a quick 'congratulations' before hurrying past. Goku was last to leave. He gave Yamcha a friendly bear hug. He was just putting the terrified man down when he heard Ima sing softly:

"_Come stop your crying, It'll be alright,  
>Just take my hand, Hold it tight,<br>I will protect you from all around you,  
>I will be here, don't you cry<em>."

Something switched on in the back of Goku's mind and he heard a woman's voice singing,

"_For one so small, you seem so strong__  
><em>_My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm__  
><em>_This bond between us can't be broken__  
><em>_I will be here, don't you cry___

_'Cause you'll be in my heart__  
><em>_Yes, you'll be in my heart__  
><em>_From this day on, now and forever more___

_You'll be in my heart__  
><em>_No matter what they say__  
><em>_You'll be here in my heart always, always._"

It sounded distant as if long ago and far away. He shook his head. He'd probably heard it somewhere before. He patted Yamcha on the shoulder again and followed Vegeta and Gohan outside.

A/N: Song is 'You'll be in my heart' by Phil Collins. Now, I'm tempted to write a 'Those Three Years' fic about how Bulma and Vegeta got together? What do people think?


	6. Chapter 6 Train Me Son Goku!

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with any of the Dragonball series.**

**A/N: Hello readers! I'm back from the wedding, complete with a hangover that would floor Nappa...**

**Chapter 6**

**Train me Son Goku!**

Appura took a deep breath to calm her nerves and straightened her skirt a little, knowing her stutter was going to be terrible if she didn't calm down. "Ok, Ms. Vegeta, you're on in three," said a stage hand. Appura was about to appear on a chat show in Satan City for the first time to plug her new album. 'Transformation' was finally recorded and would be on the shelves the following day. From the side of the stage she could see the audience. On the front row were her mother, Yamcha, her father, Bulma and Trunks. Bulma and her mother had wedged themselves between Vegeta and Yamcha in order to prevent any fighting between the pair. Bulma had been delighted to hear her ex-boyfriend had finally settled down with someone and was happy for the pair of them, but, like Appura, she just wished Vegeta would make peace with Yamcha once and for all.

"And please welcome my next guest, Apple Vee!" said the host. Appura took another deep breath, slapped a smile on her face and walked out. She could see her mother, Yamcha, Bulma and Trunks all cheering and clapping. Vegeta just sat on the edge of the row with his arms folded, looking thoroughly bored. Appura shook hands with the female host of the show and then sat down in one of the chairs. "Well, welcome to your first TV interview," said Miki Sato, the hostess, "So tell us about why you're here."

"Well, b...basically, I have a new album coming out tomorrow and I'd like for lots of people to b...buy it," Appura answered. The audience laughed.

"Yes, your new album, _Transformation_, is the follow-up to _In The Looking-Glass_ the album you released three years ago, correct?"

"Yeah, it's a lot different now, it's much more adult and mature..."Appura started.

"Is that why Mom won't let me listen to it?" called out a voice. The cameramen swung round and focussed in on Trunks.

"P...probably, little brother," said Appura quickly, wanting to get focus off Trunks before he did something stupid.

"Is that your little brother?" asked Miki, pointing at the boy.

"Err, yeah, that's Trunks, my half-brother," said Appura as the camera's swung back round. She saw Bulma talking into Trunks' ear, probably telling him not to shout out.

"He's adorable!" said Miki, smiling.

"Thanks, I...I think he's pretty sweet," said Appura.

"So, will you be touring with this album?" Miki asked. Appura stopped and looked over at her family. Her mother nodded to her and Appura exhaled. "Not...not right away," she said, "Erm, I'm..." She caught Vegeta's eye and felt her resolve crumbling away. "I'm actually going to be taking some t...t...time off," she forced out, "To...to...to learn Martial Arts." She spat out the last four words as fast as she could before she chickened out. Her father looked furious and she avoided his gaze.

"M...martial arts, really?" said Miki, also very aware of Vegeta's scowl.

"Yeah," said Appura, starting to panic a little, "I need to learn..." She couldn't bear it any longer; she had to get away from her father's furious face.

"I...I'm sorry, I have to go," she said, standing up and running off stage. She ran through the backstage area and through the building and out a back door. She slumped against a wall and put her head in her hands.

Moments later the door flew off its hinges and Vegeta stormed out. "What the hell do you think you're playing at?" he snarled at her. Appura slid down the wall and sat on the ground and looked up at her father. "You are a princess dammit, not a soldier and it's time you started acting like one!" he barked at her, standing over her, making her feel even smaller, "Stand up!" He grabbed her by her upper arms and dragged her to her feet, squeezing her arms so hard she thought he was trying to break them. "Now, shut up, give up this music crap and start acting like a lady," he spat. Appura's temper finally snapped. Her hand flew through the air and slapped him across his arrogant face. Vegeta let go of her arm and stumbled back. The slap had caught him completely off guard. It had actually hurt a little. He touched his hand to his cheek where she had hit him. "I'll start acting like a princess when you start acting like a father," she said in a cold voice. Vegeta stared at her. She hadn't stuttered once and was staring at him with a look he knew all too well. It was the same look he saw when he looked in the mirror and Trunks had started adopting it a lot when he was training. She marched past him as Yamcha, her mother, Bulma and Trunks appeared. Yamcha and Ima immediately followed Appura as she walked off half in a daze. Bulma stared at Vegeta. "What?" he said when he caught her staring. A bright red hand-shaped mark was starting to appear on his right cheek.

Later on that night, Goku was walking around the house with Goten, doing the 'monster check'. Goten was terrified that monsters came out during storms and tonight the mother of all storms had hit Mt. Paozu. Goten was just about satisfied that there were no monsters when something started banging on the door. Goten started screaming so Goku scooped him up, assuring him monsters wouldn't knock at the door. Goku walked through the kitchen and opened the door. "It's ok Goten, it's not a monster," he said, "It's a princess." A rather bedraggled looking Appura stood in front of him. Her hair was plastered to her head, her clothes were completely drenched and she looked thoroughly miserable. She was barefoot and one of her ankles was a little swollen from a fall she had taken on her way through the mountain. Goten looked over his shoulder. "Hi Appura!" he said, forgetting all about the monsters. Goku stepped to one side and let Appura in.

He was just shutting the door when Gohan walked in, intending to show his father something. He stopped dead when he saw Appura. He could see his father looking at the almost black bruises on Appura's upper arms. Gohan could see the finger marks. The book in his hands fell to the floor. He felt a fury build up in his stomach. "Did HE do that to you?" Gohan said through gritted teeth. He'd seen the interview and knew that Vegeta would have been pissed off, but he'd never thought Vegeta would actually hurt Appura. Appura said nothing, just looked at the floor. "Gohan," said Goku, breaking the silence, "Take Appura and give her some of your old clothes to wear while hers dry. Wash her arms with some iced water, that'll help the bruises. I'm going to put Goten to bed then call her mother." Gohan nodded.

Appura felt much better when she was in some dry clothes. She was sat on Gohan's bed. Her hair was wrapped in a towel and she wore some old training pants of Gohan's and one of his shirts. Gohan had put some ice packs on her arms and was now putting a bag of frozen peas on her left ankle which rested in his lap. He was fighting with himself. Part of him wanted to track Vegeta down and beat him senseless or at least beat into him that he couldn't forbid his daughter from getting stronger and then man-handle her. He could hear his father on the phone, explaining to Ima that Appura had somehow managed to hitch a ride out to Mt. Paozu and made her way to the Son house, despite never actually having been there and all in under six hours. The door opened as Gohan was lifting the bag of peas to check on the swelling. "How's the patient?" asked Goku, leaning on the door frame.

"Ok, no thanks to Vegeta," said Gohan coldly.

"Appura is there any particular reason you came here?" asked Goku. He knew damn well why she had come all the way out here but he needed her to say it. "I...I...I need you to train me, please," she said, "I...I need to learn to fight, Goku, and I couldn't think of a better teacher." Goku smiled.

"No problem kiddo," he said, "I'll make you into a Saiyan warrior your dad can be proud of." Gohan snorted at the mention of Vegeta.

"Th...thanks, Goku," said Appura, smiling.

"Ok, Gohan, you ok with sleeping on the couch tonight?" said Goku.

"Oh, I d...d...don't want to kick Gohan out his own bed," said Appura quickly.

"No, you are our guest, and guests get a bed," said Goku, "Besides we'll get a spare bed put in Goten's so Gohan won't be on the couch forever."

"Oh, goody!" said Gohan sarcastically, putting the bag back on Appura's ankle.

"Good night you two," said Goku.

"Goodnight," replied Gohan and Appura. Goku left, shutting the door behind him. As his footsteps faded, Gohan looked up and saw Appura's head in her hands and her shoulders shaking. The towel slipped from her head. He gently put her foot on the bed and crawled up the bed to her. "Don't...don't cry," he said.

"I'm sorry, Gohan," she choked, "He just makes me so angry! My dad! He wants me to be w...weak and pathetic! And I don't w...want to be anymore!" Gohan sat next to her and pulled her into his arms. He gently stroked her hair. "I felt so pathetic and useless after the home invasion and I hated it," she sobbed, "And I hate him for m...making me feel this way! And then to blame my mom for me being hurt!" She broke down in sobs and buried her head into his shoulder. Gohan tightened his hold on her, stroking her hair. She brought her arms up and circled his neck with them, despite how tired and heavy they felt.

Gohan gently pressed a kiss to her forehead with the intention of comforting her. She pulled her head away from his shoulder and looked up at him. He looked down at her. His hand slipped from her hair and caressed the sensitive skin of where her neck met her ear. She pulled his head down and kissed him. Gohan moaned a little and kissed her back. Kami, she smelt good. Any intentions of comfort were gone now. He didn't even register what he was doing; he just acted on instinct, pulling her closer to him as he deepened the kiss, gently running his tongue along her lower lip. She opened her lips gently and met his tongue with hers. He laid them down on the bed, on their sides. His hand left her neck and went to her back, trailing down her spine. He cupped her butt with his hand and pulled it closer so their hips met. Appura gasped as Gohan closed the space between them and rolled them over so she was underneath him.

Appura pulled away from the kiss suddenly. Gohan realised what position they were in and rolled off her. "Sorry," he muttered, looking away from her. Appura blushed and looked away as well. Gohan climbed off the bed. "See you in the morning," he said quietly. He was about to leave when he felt her grab his hand. He looked at her. She was kneeling on the bed. She looked so beautiful in his shirt it actually made his chest hurt. She pulled him back a little bit and kissed his cheek. "Good night Son Gohan," she whispered in his ear. Gohan smiled as he left. He waved her goodbye as he left for the sitting room. "G...goof ball," she laughed.


	7. Chapter 7 Meet Saruo!

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Dragonball series.**

**Chapter 7**

**Meet Saruo!**

Gohan still had a huge grin on his face the next morning when he woke up. He'd kissed a girl, scratch that, he'd kissed a beautiful girl. He'd kissed a celebrity too and now she was asleep in his bed. Admittedly he was three doors down the hall but still she was in his bed. Then it slowly dawned on him...he'd kissed Vegeta's daughter!

He sat bolt upright. There was a knocking at the front door. He clambered off the couch and staggered into the kitchen. He opened the door and had to blink a couple of times until he recognised the person stood there as Yamcha. "Morning Yamcha," he croaked before coughing.

"Morning Gohan," said Yamcha, "Just stopped by to drop this off." He lifted up a back pack.

"It's got some of Appura's clothes in it and some other bits and pieces in it," he said, handing it over. Gohan still looked confused. "How did you get here?" he croaked, his voice still not completely awake.

"Oh, Bulma," said Yamcha, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder. Gohan looked out the door and saw Bulma's jet. Bulma was at the wheel, Vegeta next to her and Ima was sat in the back with Trunks asleep in her lap. Gohan waved at them sleepily. Vegeta turned his head away, apparently refusing to have anything to do with him. Ima slid her window down. "Hope she's not causing too much trouble," she called over.

"My dad gave her my clothes and my bed," replied Gohan, smiling. Ima laughed.

"See you later, buddy," said Yamcha, squeezing Gohan's shoulder and heading back over to the jet. Gohan went back into the house with the bag. "Who was that?" said a sleepy voice. Gohan looked up and saw Appura stood in the kitchen doorway, one hand in her hair, wearing nothing other than his shirt. Well, nothing he could see anyway. Gohan just looked her over. Her hair was all tussled from sleep, her face relaxed and her legs exposed. She looked gorgeous. Gohan felt the blood in his head rush southwards so he quickly shook his head. "Your mom just dropped off some clothes for you," he said, looking away and handing the bag over. Appura walked over and took the bag off him. Gohan blushed a little. "Maybe you should get dressed," he said, "My mom and dad are getting up soon and if my mom sees you dressed like that, she'll be announcing our engagement in the society pages."

"Yeah, g...g...good idea," Appura stuttered. She turned and headed back towards his room. He followed her just to make sure neither his mom nor dad happened to look out while she was still in the hallway. "Se...See you in a bit," she said, smiling up at him. Gohan smiled back and leaned against the wall on his elbow. "See you in a bit," he said. She shut the door just as his parent's door opened and his dad strolled out, already dressed in his gi. He looked at his son curiously. "She's still getting dressed," Gohan said plainly, hoping his dad wouldn't notice anything. Goku just smiled at him and headed outside to collect some fire wood. Chi-Chi appeared just behind Goku, putting the finishing touches to her hair. "Who was knocking at the door?" she asked Gohan.

"Oh, it was Yamcha, he and Ima dropped off some stuff for Appura," he said. Chi-Chi nodded. Goku had already filled her in on the Saiyan princesses dramatic late night arrival and her plea for Goku to train her.

A moment later, the door of Gohan's room opened. Appura was stood there wearing a pair of black training shorts and a baggy white t-shirt. In her hand were a pair of trainers and she had some white socks on her feet. Unfortunately the t-shirts sleeves weren't long enough to hide the horrific purple bruises that still covered her upper arms. Gohan swallowed the swell of anger that filled him. It was lucky that he'd still been half-asleep when Yamcha had dropped off Appura's stuff or he may have dragged the Saiyan prince from the jet and beaten him senseless. "How are your arms?" he asked.

"They still hurt a little," Appura replied quietly.

"He'll pay for that," said Gohan quietly, his brow furrowing.

"Gohan, don't!" Appura said firmly, "I don't want to be protected by others anymore. That's why I'm here."

"Sorry," he said quietly.

"Thanks though," she said.

Ok," said Goku, hands on his hips, "Hit me."

"Wh...what?" said Appura, stopping dead.

"Hit me," he said, pointing at his cheek, "Right here, c'mon, I want to see what you've got." Appura just stood there. "Gohan, help her," said Goku, not moving an inch. Gohan pushed Appura forward so she was within arm's reach. He turned her so she was slightly at an angle and used his feet to nudge her feet to shoulder-width apart. "Ok," he said, "Close your fist, pull back and then give him everything you got." Appura's punch was the most pathetic thing Gohan had ever seen, she barely even touched Goku. Gohan shook his head. He had an idea. He called his father over and whispered to him, "Taunt her, act like Vegeta does."

"What? You think that'll work?" Goku whispered back.

"Dad, she hit him last night, his cheek was all red this morning when they came by," Gohan said softly. Goku looked over his shoulder at Appura who was looking around the forest clearing, trying not to watch them.

"Ok," said Goku, "We'll give it a go but I don't know if I can pull off Vegeta." The two men turned around and returned to their original positions. Gohan bent down and whispered into Appura's ear, "Pretend he's your dad." Appura frowned in confusion. Gohan just smiled at her. Appura looked back at Goku, who was frowning.

"That punch," he said, still not believing he could do a good Vegeta impression, "Was THE most pathetic thing I've ever seen, young lady! You shouldn't be fighting, you're a princess! You're just wasting my time. You're useless." Appura looked hurt which made Goku feel really bad, but he had to unlock her hidden potential somehow. He kept berating her which was hard given his nature. She looked up at him and tried to picture her father shouting at her instead. Last night came flooding back. The pain of when he grabbed her arms, his venomous words, and the satisfaction she got when she had slapped him.

Goku had gotten so into his impression of Vegeta, he didn't see Appura's fist flying towards him until it was too late. He moved his arm to try to block it but Appura's hand had already connected with his cheek, sending him flying across the clearing. He hit the ground with a thump. He sat bolt upright and saw Appura running towards him. Goku stood up, thinking she was coming to help him. He'd just dusted himself off when he saw her trying to kick him. He quickly blocked her leg and then another punch. This was great, now he knew what she was capable of. He just needed her to be able to channel it and access it without them having to taunt her into a rage. Goku was easily able to keep up with her but she didn't seem to want to stop. "Gohan, a little help here?" he called. Gohan ran over and grabbed Appura, putting one arm around her neck and another around her waist. He pulled her back as she desperately tried to continue to kick Goku. "It's ok, it's alright, you got him," Gohan said, giving her a slight shake. Appura stopped fighting back. Her breath was ragged and the look on her face was scarily similar to Vegeta's expression when he fought. "Ok," said Goku, "So we know you have the power. You just need to access it."

"Err, Dad," said Gohan, "You have some blood..." Gohan tapped his chin. Goku wiped his own chin with the back of his hand and saw a trail of blood on it. "Well, there you go," said Goku, "You will be a warrior your dad can be proud of. You already hurt me." Appura smiled a little.

The rest of the day was spent with Appura throwing punches and kicks as she tried to access her hidden power. She was getting there, but it would take a while. By the time they arrived back at the house that night, Appura was exhausted whilst Goku and Gohan had hardly broken a sweat. Twelve feet from the door, Appura fell to the ground, unable to take another step. She lay on the ground, panting. Goku didn't even stop, he just kept going; he was hungry and not even a collapsed Saiyan princess would stand between him and his dinner. Gohan bent down and pulled one of Appura's arms over his shoulders and half-carried her into the house.

He helped her into his bedroom and sat her down on the bed. She landed rather ungracefully on the bed. She tried to straighten herself out but her muscles screamed in protest at any movement. She cried out and fell face first into the bed. She stayed perfectly still and didn't even open her eyes until she felt Gohan gently lift her legs up. Even then her muscles cried out and she bit back tears. She felt the bed move as Gohan sat down and put her legs in her lap. She felt his warm hands begin to rub her legs, easing the pain in her muscles. It felt nice. He raised his ki to make his hands as warm as a heat pack, gently easing the soreness out of her muscles. "I wish there was a way to speed up this process," she said, "I hate to think it could be years before I reach the same level as you guys."

"You just sounded like your dad," said Gohan, still gently massaging her legs, "Impatient little princess. Roll over." Appura shifted herself until she rolled over so Gohan could massage the muscles in the front of her legs. "I should call him," she said.

"Your dad? After what he did?" said Gohan.

"You make it sound like he beat the living daylights out of me," she said, "All he did was drag me up off the floor."

"I've seen him lift Bulma and Trunks up by the arms before," said Gohan, "And he's never left a mark on them."

"I'm gonna call him," she said, "I need to get my cell phone." She moved to get up but found Gohan pushing her back down. "Goten! Get Appura's cell phone!" he shouted. Goten walked in a moment later, an annoyed look on his face. "I'm not Appura's slave," he said, handing over the cell phone. He then stuck his tongue out at Gohan and left. Gohan returned the gesture to Goten's retreating head and handed Appura her cell phone. She opened it up and dialled a number. Gohan took that moment to take off her shoes and socks and rub her sore feet. He watched as her eyes closed and a smile spread across her face. "Hey Bulma," she said after a moment, "It's Appura. I'm ok. Yeah, I've been training. All frickin' day! It's not so bad, turns out at the end Gohan turns into a masseuse. Without a doubt, the best foot rub I've ever had. Can't believe I used to pay people to do this."

"Your feet stink," Gohan piped up.

"I'm too tired to even care," Appura said, "Look, Bulma; can I speak to my dad please? Yeah, I know he's pissed off. Please? Thanks." She went quiet for a few minutes. Gohan looked at her, her smile had disappeared. "Dad, I know you're there," she said, her eyes still closed, "Please talk to me. Please...Dad...please, I know you're angry with me but please, talk to me." Gohan faintly heard Vegeta reply. He stopped rubbing her feet. Appura put the cell phone down and covered her face with her hands. "Appura?" he said quietly. Appura let out a sniff. She was trying to hold back tears but one leaked out. She sat up and turned her face away from Gohan. "Appura," he said, reaching out. He gently took hold of her chin and turned her to face him. She looked sad. He took his hand away from her chin and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "What happened?" he asked gently, resting his forehead against her head. Appura sniffed again.

"He said he w...w...would not speak to me or your family whilst y...y...your father is training me and then he hung up," she said, her stutter suddenly resurfacing. Her hands flew up to her face again but Gohan caught her wrists with his hand and pulled them away. "Look at me," he said, "Look at me!" Appura turned her head to look at him. "He's not worth crying over," he said, looking into the beautiful blue eyes looking back at him. He stroked her hair gently. He breathed in through his nose and let her scent fill his mind. Oh how he wanted to kiss her. "You're right," she said softly, "He...he...he's not worth it. I'm going to prove him wrong. I'll be the best warrior this planet has ever seen. Ok, maybe third best after you and your dad." Gohan smiled.

"Damn right you will," he laughed.

Over the next week and a half, Appura had a renewed confidence and determination. She was certainly pulling out all the stops. Her Saiyan genetics really kicked in and she was soon at a level where she could fight some of the strongest human fighters, but she struggled to channel ki energy and subsequently could not yet achieve flight. It frustrated her but it made her push herself even harder. Her strength grew exponentially every day. She was soon able to do a one-handed hand stand with either Goku or Gohan standing on her feet.

On her eleventh day of training, she surpassed Videl. The human girl had been coming over to help train Appura as she was closest to Appura's level. Appura surpassed her by knocking the girl out. Goku was impressed and began considering taking her to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Videl propped herself up on her elbows, still feeling dizzy from the blow. "That was incredible," she heard Gohan say. Her vision cleared and she saw him, holding one of Appura's hands and talking to her. She frowned. He used to look at her that way. The pair of them had started seeing each other briefly but it hadn't worked out for one very simple reason. She couldn't keep up with him. She couldn't keep up with him whether they were flying, sparring or doing algebra. It still hurt to be around him, but the pain was easing and Videl was treasuring each moment he was her friend because she knew there wouldn't be many more of them for a long time. She was joining the army, based on the advice of a career counsellor and the offer of a job as a hand to hand combat instructor. It would take her far away from Satan City and Mt. Paozu, and far away from Gohan.

She smiled when she saw her former boyfriend smiling down at another girl. He'd taken their 'break-up' the hardest, and had looked miserable for weeks afterwards but he was becoming the Gohan she knew and had loved and still did in a sense, once again. She sighed. Now was as good a time as any. She stood up, her head having recovered from the blow the Saiyan princess had struck. "I'm not gonna be able to come tomorrow," she said as she dusted herself off. Gohan and Goku looked at her in surprise. "What? Why?" asked Gohan.

"I'm leaving Satan City, I...I've joined the army," she said, "I have to report to Central City tomorrow morning. I don't know when I'll see you guys next." Gohan walked over to her.

"We'll see you soon," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders, "Thanks for your help, Videl. I'll keep an eye on the city for you." He pulled her into a hug. She held on tight and closed her eyes.

"Thanks Gohan," she said, pulling away, "Good luck Appura." She turned and left the forest clearing. Moments later they heard her jet lifting into the air. Goku lifted off the ground and floated over the forest canopy. Gohan pulled Appura onto his back and followed him. Videl's jet wasn't far away, they could see her clearly. She waved at them and the three Saiyans waved back. Her jet turned north and headed off into the darkening sky. "Well, it's almost supper time," said Goku, "Time to head home."

Gohan looked over at the girl sat on the other end of the couch, past his little brother who was bouncing around. His mother and father were washing the dishes in the kitchen. She looked so beautiful. She was one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen. They hadn't spoken about the time they had kissed yet. He was fascinated by her. She kept her tail coiled up at the base of her back, underneath her clothes, even when she could let it show. Gohan's eyes flicked to the TV screen for a moment and froze there when he saw a picture of Appura and his father appear on the screen. "And in celebrity news, the whereabouts of pop sensation Apple Vee were discovered today," said the reporter. The door opened and Goku's head appeared around it.

"The eighteen-year-old singer fled her first TV interview almost two weeks ago and hasn't been seen in public since," continued the reporter, "She has been spotted at the home of former World Martial Arts Champion, Son Goku." Goku stepped into the room completely and crossed his arms. Chi-Chi appeared behind him with a plate still in her hands. Goku was frowning at the screen. The reporter was reeling off something about Goku proposing to Chi-Chi at the Tournament nineteen years before. Appura was horrified. She was terrified that the peace and serenity of Mt. Paozu would be disturbed thanks to her. At that moment a flash went off from the window. Appura blinked. In the moment that followed, Gohan had sped over to her and had placed one arm protectively around her. The camera flashed again. The plate Chi-Chi had been holding flew across the room, smashing through the window and smashing the camera. Appura felt Gohan grab her wrist and pull her from the room, just as a video camera appeared at the window. Appura caught a glimpse of Chi-Chi storming across the room. Gohan pulled her into his room. He slammed the door and quickly closed the blinds. "Shit, Gohan, I'm sorry," said Appura. Gohan stared at her; he'd never heard her swear before.

"What are you apologising for?" he asked, "You didn't do this on purpose. You didn't call the press and tell them where you are." He heard shouting. It was his mother, apparently single-handedly taking on the multitude of press officers and paparazzi that were outside. Gohan looked around the room, trying to get an idea. He needed to get Appura out of the house so his parents could deal with the media. He spotted something lying on the bed. It was a black dress with a hood. "What's that?" he asked.

"Huh, oh that," said Appura, "Mom made me that so I could go into town in disguise if need be while I'm out here." Gohan had an idea. He grabbed the scissors that lay on the desk behind him. He threw the dress at her. "Quick, get changed," he said.

"What?"

"I have an idea," he said. Appura quickly pulled off the t-shirt she was wearing. Gohan blushed slightly and turned around. He hadn't expected her to do that straight away. He certainly hadn't expected her to be bra-less underneath. He looked at his desk just to keep himself occupied. There was a small vanity mirror on it. According to Appura it could take up to half an hour to fix her hair so she didn't look like a female version of her dad. In the mirror, he could see her. Her gentle curves were something to behold. Until he had met her, he'd always thought Saiyan women would be pretty much straight up and down, not remotely feminine. But now he thought about it, his mother, Ima and Bulma were curvy women...perhaps he'd been wrong. She pulled the dress on before she removed the pyjama bottoms she'd been wearing. "Ok, done," she said. Gohan quickly turned around before she realised he'd been watching her. He turned her around. "Stay still," he said. Appura shivered a little as he ran a hand down her back, trying to find the base of her tail. He found it, and snipped a hole. "Thread your tail through," he said before dropping to his knees. Appura wondered what the hell he was up to. He grabbed the skirt of the dress and started snipping at it. Within a matter of minutes, Appura had a hooded dress with a skirt three inches shorter and a hole for her tail. She'd just finished threading it through when Gohan handed her the strip he'd cut from her dress. He'd cut two holes in it, creating a Zorro-style mask. She tied it around her head.

"What are we doing?" she asked. Gohan smiled and pressed a button on his watch, changing his clothes to the Great Saiyaman costume. "We're leaving," he said. Appura pulled on the first pair of shoes she could find, which just so happened to be the heels she'd worn the night she'd come here. Goten had found them half a mile down the road where they'd fallen after Appura had slipped in the rain. Gohan grabbed her hand and pulled her out the room. He went to the room two doors down and on the opposite side of the house, facing out on to thick forest. There was still shouting and smashing coming from the living room. By the sounds of it, Chi-Chi and her crockery had turned into a one woman army. He pulled Appura into the room and quickly slammed the door shut. Appura looked around. The room was very...pink from the walls to the floors to the bed linen. "What room is this?" she asked. Gohan went over to the far side and opened the window.

"My mom and dad's room," he said, beckoning for her to come over. He lifted her up so she was sat on the ledge.

"The world's greatest protector has a pink bedroom," she said, "I can actually believe that." She swung her legs over the ledge and jumped from the window. Gohan followed her. He pulled her into the thick forest. There would be no press here. When they were far enough in, Gohan stopped. "Now what?" said Appura, her heart beating madly. This was exciting. Disguising herself as a hero and sneaking out the house to escape the press. She'd fantasised about this before now. Gohan threw an arm around her waist and pulled her close. "Hold on tight," he said. Appura put her arms around his neck. Gohan bent his knees and leapt into the air. Appura tightened her hold on him and closed her eyes as they flew through the air but couldn't stop smiling.

"Alright, lady, hand it over," said the crook. The terrified old lady just shook with fear.

"Alright you asked for it," he said, raising his arm. He was about to bring it down when it was stopped. He looked at it. A hand held his forearm. The hand belonged to some girl in a hood and mask, a tail flicking behind her. "That's not very nice," she said. He was knocked backwards as her foot connected with his stomach. He crashed into some garbage bins. He was stunned for a moment. He felt someone grab him by his shirt and he was brought face to face with the Great Saiyaman. "Evening," said Saiyaman, "Hey, look out for his friend." The girl spun round and hit the first crook's accomplice, knocking him out cold before he could hit her with a lead pipe. A siren wailed and two police cars pulled up outside the alleyway. Looks like someone had seen either the attempted mugging or Saiyaman entering the alley. Three police officers clambered out the cars. "Good evening, officers," said Saiyaman.

"Saiyaman! We...we haven't seen you in weeks," said one of the officers, "Everything ok?"

"It is now," he said, "I'll leave these gentlemen in your very capable hands." He dropped the first crook back to the ground.

"Who's your friend?" asked one of the other officers, nodding towards the girl. Saiyaman turned and looked at her, smiling before replying, "Her name is Saruo."

A/N: Oh my kami! Four days this chapter took to write! FOUR DAYS! Oh and Saruo is Japanese for Monkey Tail.


	8. Chapter 8 Appura's new haircut

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with any of the Dragonball series**

**A/N: I've uploaded a picture I drew of Appura, see my profile for the link to my page! Coloured version coming soon! If anyone else out there can draw and would like to attempt it, I'd love to see how other people see her. Also in this, I'm going on the basis that 1 Zeni is equal to 1 Yen, so the money mentioned is equivalent of £5million.**

**Chapter 8**

**Appura's new haircut**

"Ok, now focus, Appura," said Goku, as he watched Appura from over her shoulder. He'd seen a glint appearing in her hands as they practiced channelling ki energy. She was still struggling desperately with it. The glint got stronger, slowly forming a small ball of ki energy between the slender fingers of the princess. "You did it!" shouted Goku, punching the air above his head. Appura laughed, the smile on her face was the largest she'd had in the whole three weeks she'd been with the Son family.

"Well, I think that's enough for this morning," Goku said as the ball of energy dissipated from Appura's hands, "We'll have lunch and then we'll have another go at it, ok?" Appura nodded. She placed a hand on Goku's shoulder. Goku was about to use his instant transmission when Appura stopped him. "Goku, I...I wanted to thank you in some way," she said, "For training me, letting me live with you...and, I...I know Chi-Chi refuses to let me help around the house so..." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper and handed it to Goku. Goku looked confused and opened it up. He quickly refolded it and tried to hand it back. "No, Goku, I want you to have it," said Appura, pushing his hand back, "It's half of the money I've made with my music."

"Appura, I can't just accept this," said Goku, "I mean, six hundred..."

"Six hundred million, five hundred thousand zeni," said Appura, "And you ARE going to accept it Goku. Your family won't have to worry about money for a very long time with this. Gohan can go to university with this and so will Goten." Goku stared at her dumbfounded.

"What about you?" he asked.

"Goku, I've barely spent a penny since I released my first album," she said, "My mom insists on working, the only major thing I've bought is my house. All of my money is either in a savings account or is in Capsule Corp shares. I had to get my mom's signature just to get that check for you. I'm serious, Goku, take it." Goku was wrestling with himself and losing.

"Thanks," he said, putting the check in his pocket, "That'll make Chi-Chi really happy."

"I know," said Appura, putting her hand on his shoulder once more. Goku smiled briefly before bringing his fingers to his forehead and taking them back to the house.

Goku's landing was a rare miss for him. He had to aim for a specific room rather than a person at the moment. With the press still permanently camped outside the Son's front door, they were unable to walk or fly to the spot that Goku chose for training so he was using Instant Transmission to and from his and Chi-Chi's bedroom, which now had the blinds drawn constantly just in case someone snuck round that side of the house. Today, Goku misjudged the landing and landed right on the edge of bed. Appura slipped first, landing on the floor and smacking her head against the wardrobe. Goku fell second, landing on Appura and winding her. "Ow," said Appura simply as the door opened.

"Hey Goku, nice landing," said a female voice that wasn't Chi-Chi. Appura looked over the lump that was Goku and saw her step-mother stood in the doorway, smiling at them. Goku hauled himself off the young girl and pulled her up. Appura rubbed her head and left the room, Goku following her.

"Guess who managed to..." Goku started when he saw Gohan but he trailed off when he saw that his son wasn't even paying attention to him. He was too busy scowling at someone or something. He was leant against the wall that separated the kitchen and sitting room, looking into the kitchen, his arms folded. Goku looked into the kitchen and understood why Gohan looked so pissed. Vegeta was sat at the table, leaning back in his chair, looking at nothing and no one in particular. This was Vegeta's first visit here since Appura arrived. Gohan had told Goku of his promise not to speak to any of the Son family or Appura whilst she was training. Goku turned round in an attempt to stop Appura from going into the kitchen. Her confidence had sky-rocketed in the past few weeks and the last thing anyone wanted was for Vegeta to send it crashing back down. It didn't work; she brushed straight past him, knowing her father was in the kitchen.

"Hey Appura, how was training?" asked Chi-Chi.

"Good," said Appura, looking at her father, "I've managed to finally channel my ki. Goku reckons another couple of weeks and he might start teaching me the Kamehameha." Vegeta snorted.

"Dad..." Appura said quietly. Goku slipped into the kitchen. Vegeta continued to say nothing.

"Dad, I...I'm getting stronger," Appura continued, "He...he says I'm going to be a great Saiyan warrior...that you would be proud of me..." Vegeta's eyes narrowed and focussed on Goku, who quickly looked away. "Dad..." Appura tried again, "Please...talk to me...Daddy..." Vegeta stood up quickly, the chair legs scrapping on the floor. He turned and marched out the front door without so much as a second glance at his first-born.

Gohan watched as Vegeta slammed the door behind himself and Appura bowed her head for a second. He could feel her ki rising and falling erratically. She was angry, she wanted to hit Vegeta but she also just wanted her dad to love her. For a moment she did nothing. Then she punched the wall, sending a huge crack from floor to ceiling. She let out a scream of frustration. "Arrogant son of a bitch!" she screamed. Gohan had never felt so proud of her.

"Appura! Language! Trunks and Goten are in the other room," Bulma snapped.

"Shut up! You're not my mother!" Appura shouted back. Gohan had to take a step back. Appura's power level was shooting straight up and showed no signs of slowing. "Appura, calm down," said Goku, "There's no point stressing out over your dad." It didn't work, her ki just kept getting stronger and stronger until finally it just vanished and she slumped to the floor, her head in her hands. Gohan had never seen someone go so high and then fall so far so quickly. She'd been so stable and happy for the last couple of weeks. She'd been around Vegeta for less than three minutes and she'd crashed back to square one again. The Saiyan temper had even flared up for the first time as her power level had risen. Bulma and Chi-Chi just stared at her as she crashed down, lying on her side on the kitchen floor, her shoulders shaking. Gohan walked over to her, determined to once again pick up the pieces that Vegeta left in his wake. He lifted her up to her feet and led her out the kitchen. Out the corner of his eye, he saw his father show a piece of paper to his mother who promptly fainted.

Appura didn't speak for half an hour. She just sat on the bed, staring at nothing, whilst Gohan sat backwards on the chair, watching her. "He's an ass," she finally said quietly. Gohan reached back over to his desk and grabbed the glass of water that had been waiting. He handed it to her and she sipped it silently. "Why can't all men be like you?" Appura said looking over at him. He looked so sweet, sat backwards on his chair, arms resting on the back, chin resting on his hands. She spun herself around so her legs were dangling off the bed. She leant forward so she was face to face with him. He smiled that Son family goof-ball smile. "If all men were like me, then the Saiyan race would be redundant," he stated. Appura sighed and looked towards the window, shielded by the blind to stop the paparazzi. "Can we get out of here?" she asked, "I just don't want to be here while he's here."

"Sure," said Gohan. He led her out the bedroom. He could over hear his dad and Bulma trying to bring his mother round. They snuck down the hall and into Goku and Chi-Chi's room which had become the unofficial back door for the house. They slipped out the window and hurried into the woods. Once they were far enough in, Gohan put his arm around her waist and Appura put one around his broad shoulders. Gohan took to the air, holding tightly onto the Saiyan princess, and headed in the direction of the lake, unaware that Vegeta had watched them go.

Later on...

The two teens stretched out on the side of the lake. Appura had her eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of the cool breeze that swept through the mountain. Her hands were folded on her stomach which gently rose and fell as she breathed. Gohan, however, had his eyes open and was watching her, his head resting on his hands. She looked so peaceful, so relaxed. Away from family, from training, away from where expectations were thrust upon her, away from the press. "Kami, I could do with a smoke right now," she muttered, shattering the silence.

"You smoke?"

"Are you kidding me? Bulma and my dad smoke like chimneys and I've been visiting Capsule Corp since I was eleven. It's just one of Bulma's bad habits I've picked up," she said, smiling. She rolled her hips so they were at an angle and reached into her back pocket and pulled out a cardboard carton. Gohan recognised the brand, the same one that Bulma always smoked. "Looks like I'm not the only one she rubs off on," said Gohan, laughing. Appura sat up and looked at him.

"There is absolutely no way that Son Gohan smokes," she stated, "You're too much of a good boy." Gohan sat up, mimicking her. "Around my mother, maybe," he said, reaching over and taking the packet from her hand. His fingers grazed over her skin, making it tingle. He took a cigarette from the packet and handed it back over. Appura laughed and then lit hers, handing over the lighter as she exhaled. "Ok then, if you're such a bad boy away from Chi-Chi," she said, "Any other vices?"

"I drink occasionally," he said.

"Bulma start offering you beer when you turned sixteen?" asked Appura. Gohan stared at her dumbfounded. "She is such a bad influence," Appura laughed. Gohan laughed too, before taking another drag on his cigarette. The two sat in silence, smoking until Appura decided to approach a subject that had been on her mind for a while. "Ever had sex?" she asked. To her surprise, Gohan nodded immediately. "Who?" she asked.

"Videl," said Gohan, exhaling his smoke as he spoke, "You?" Appura raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, when I was fourteen and another when I was sixteen," she said calmly, "What about you? What happened between you and Videl that made you break up?" Gohan bit his lower lip and looked at the ground.

"We err, argued," he said, "She didn't think she was capable of being with a Saiyan. That it wasn't fair to either of us because she couldn't keep up with me. A few times when we were...you know, being intimate, I hurt her. I felt so guilty about it that when she suggested we stopped seeing each other, I just went along with it."

"Do you still love her?" Appura asked, edging over so she was sat right next to Gohan.

"A little," said Gohan before taking another drag from his cigarette, "It used to hurt a lot to see her. But now..." He turned his head and was instantly greeted by the beautiful deep blue orbs that were Appura's eyes. His train of thought derailed and he just looked at her. She was so close; he could feel her breath on his cheek. "And now?" she said softly.

"It's not so bad," he muttered. He quickly dipped his head and captured Appura's lips with his own. She immediately relented and returned the kiss as she had done each time before. Gohan's hand came up and tucked her hair behind her ear before trailing his fingers gently down her neck. She moaned a little and Gohan deepened the kiss, gently touching her tongue with his. She tasted sweet, like a coffee with one too many sugars in it. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. Her skin felt warm against his and silky soft. He pulled her into his lap so she straddled him. His hands slipped to her hips and began rubbing her butt. She pulled away from him and bit her lip, going slightly red. "What's wrong?" he asked gently. Appura closed her eyes; she couldn't even look at him when he had that sexy look on his face. The look that was such a complete polar opposite of the typical Son face that she was half-convinced there were two separate Son Gohan's. She shook her head.

He kissed her neck and she breathed in raggedly. Gohan ran his hands up her back and pulled on her hair, causing her to arch her head backwards, allowing him greater access to the soft skin of her neck. He nipped at it gently. She gasped as he gently ran his tongue over the bite mark, just like in her dream. She ran her hands down his shoulders and arms, feeling the muscles that had been formed by a combination of intense training over the years and his Saiyan genetics. "Gohan," she whispered.

"Hmmmm?" murmured Gohan as he continued to kiss and nip at her neck, intoxicated by her taste and scent. "Gohan, you know he'll kill both of us if he catches us," she said softly. Gohan stopped and pulled away. He knew that Appura meant her father. "I'm not scared of your father," he stated confidently. He truly wasn't. He'd seen Vegeta at his highest moments and some of his lowest. He'd known the man for fifteen years and had fought both against him and alongside him. He knew what Vegeta was capable of and it didn't faze him.

Gohan smiled over at the girl sat opposite at him. A smile not lost on his father who just happened to come up for breath from his supper. Goku smirked a little and turned back to his food. Appura blew a strand of hair out of her face but it just fell back into her eyes and food. She slammed her bowl down. "I need a haircut," she said. Everyone looked up at her. Her hair had almost doubled in length since they had first met her three months before and was starting to look like her mother's. "But I think you look pretty with your hair long, princess Appura," said Goten, smiling at her.

"I know, but it's getting in the way, that's why I had it cut short before," she said.

"I have some scissors that I use on Gohan's hair," said Chi-Chi, "I'll help you if you like."

"I should be ok, thanks Chi-Chi," said Appura, "All I need is a mirror." She ran her hand through her hair, trying to tuck it behind her ear but it was just too unruly. She turned back to her food.

"So, Appura," Goku said between mouthfuls, "I was thinking you and I could use the Hyperbolic Time Chamber in a couple of weeks when you've got the hang of channelling your ki a bit more. We can give you a year's training in a day there." Appura looked up from her rice.

"Really?" she said.

"Yeah, with how much you've progressed in less than a month here, you should be almost on par with Trunks and Goten when we come out," said Goku, "What do you think?"

"I think it's a great idea," she replied, smiling again.

Appura sighed as she took the length of her hair in her hand. She hated having to cut her hair. She stared in the mirror. This was going to have to be precise. She twisted her hair in her hand to pull it straight. She raised the scissors to her hair and put them at the length she normally cut it at. She took a deep breath and was about to cut when... "Hey Appura, you done yet?" called Goku's voice. Appura jumped, her hand moved closer to her head just as she cut through the hair. Damn! Too short. She looked in the mirror. 'Thanks a lot, Goku,' she thought. Her hair was stood up on end, just like her father's did. In fact, aside from the blue eyes, she looked a lot like him. Dropping the rest of her hair into the trash, she smirked as an idea crept into her head. She frowned and watched as her eyes narrowed like his did. Oh this was going to be fun. She slipped out of Gohan's room and headed towards the kitchen, hiding round the corner. She could hear Goku talking to Chi-Chi. "I'm just gonna check on Appura," she heard him say. She set her face to mimic her father. As Goku rounded the corner, she jumped out and yelled, "Kakarot!" Goku squealed and fell backwards.

"V..Vegeta?" he said, sitting up only to see the person he thought was Vegeta was actually female and was giggling. "Appura?" he said, "What happened to your hair?"

"You, you idiot," she said, "You made me jump just as I was cutting it. Now I've got to look like my dad for a month or so while it grows."

"You scared me," said Goku.

"Thanks, I'll remember that."

**A/N: Sorry this isn't as long as I would have liked it to be but I've had to do some rearranging with the plot and I'm also cat-sitting for my mother and one of them likes to sit in my lap whilst I'm trying to type. Oh, and the good stuff is coming in the next chapter so if stuff like that makes you uncomfortable just go ahead and skip it. You won't miss much plot wise.**


	9. Chapter 9 Perfect To Me

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z.

A/N: I had put up a different version of this chapter and then realised that I wasn't happy with it. So I'm re-doing it. Some aspects of the plot have had a bit of a rejigger until I was happy with how things played out. I'm now fairly happy with it so I will just take this opportunity to apologise for the long time since I last updated. Also, warning, there is a love scene in this...in fact most of it is, so if you don't like, don't read.

Chapter 9

Perfect to me.

Gohan stretched as he slipped out of the room he was sharing with Goten. He knew it wasn't for much longer now. According to his father, he'd taught Appura nearly everything she needed to know. As soon as she mastered flying and channelling her ki energy into attacks, she wouldn't need him anymore and she'd be able to train on her own, relying solely on her Saiyan genetics. The thought of her leaving Mt. Paozu made Gohan feel a little sad. He liked having her around; she was like a light in the darkness that had fallen around him when Videl had left him.

As he approached the kitchen, he could smell coffee and he could hear Appura talking, interrupted occasionally by the clacking from a keyboard. It had become apparent over the last couple of weeks that West City Records only gave their artists a three week leave of absence before throwing them straight back into work. Appura hadn't slept in a week by Gohan's reckoning or at least not much. She was still typing away on the keyboard at night when he said goodnight and she always had at least half a cup of coffee in front of her when he got up in the morning. "No, Rick, I'm looking at the proposed schedule now and there isn't a single Satan City date on it," came Appura's voice in a tone that Gohan recognised as one Bulma used when she was pissed, "Rick! Why would I lie?" Gohan looked around the door. She was sat with her back to him, hunched over her laptop and her cell phone to her ear, still wearing yesterday's clothes which were black pants, a black vest top with a red checked shirt over it. He walked up behind her and noticed her coffee cup was empty. He reached over her shoulder for it, making her jump slightly. "Hey Gohan," she said, "Is it morning already? What, Rick? No I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to Gohan...none of your business...oh for fucks...he's Goku's kid."

Gohan picked up her coffee cup and moved towards the counter as he half-listened to Appura's conversation with her agent. "Well, what do you want me to do?" she said, "Call the Tour Planner? Gee, Rick, that's a stroke of genius, maybe you should apply for the Brief's Grant!" She hung up. Gohan handed her the cup of coffee. "Thanks," she said, her voice showing how tired she truly was. She sniffed the dark liquid before taking a sip. "So, what's Rick done wrong this time?" he asked, sitting in the chair opposite Appura as she looked through her cell phone's address book for a number. "Royally fucked up this tour. I told him I needed two dates free, November fourteenth for mom and Yamcha's wedding," she said, "And New Years for Capsule Corps New Years ball. And he still managed to mess that up."

She hit a button and put her cell phone to her ear only for it to emit a loud beep. "Stupid thing," she muttered, "Batteries dead. I guess I'll just have to email them." Gohan frowned. She was overworking herself and looked exhausted, dark circles were forming under her eyes. He had to think of a way to get her to rest. Then an idea came to him. Piccolo had destroyed cameras that had taken Gohan's picture as the Great Saiyaman, perhaps he could...He focussed on Appura's laptop, if he could just...Appura screamed and leapt back as sparks flew from the laptop. "Shit," she said, gingerly pressing a button only for sparks to fly out again, "Piece of crap."

"Looks like you'll have to wait for Bulma to fix it when she comes by later," said Gohan, sipping his coffee casually.

"Yeah," said Appura, apparently too tired to even realise what was going on, "Maybe I'll go get a couple of hours sleep."

"Yeah, that would be good," said Gohan as she stood up and left.

Half an hour later, Gohan walked past his room, or rather Appura's room as it was at the moment. She was lying on the bed but was only half-asleep, muttering under her breath about making phone calls and sorting out tour dates. He pulled her door closed, hoping that shutting off the house's noises she might get some sleep. "Gohan," his father's voice made him jump and release the door handle. "What's up, Dad?" he asked.

"Nothing to worry about too much," said Goku, "It's your grandfather. He's had a bit of a fall so your mom and I are going to go take care of him. Goten's staying at Bulma's for a couple of days, so you and Appura will be on your own for a couple of days. Make sure she gets some sleep."

"Ok, Dad," said Gohan.

It was six o'clock in the evening before Appura re-emerged from her room. She hadn't really slept, just dozed on and off whilst her mind ran in circles. She'd completely missed Goku and Chi-Chi leaving and Bulma picking up Goten. The house was almost completely silent, the only noise was coming from the living room. Appura went in, only to find Gohan sat on the sofa alone, watching TV. "Hey," she said, looking around.

"Hey," he replied, not even turning his head.

"Where is everyone?"

"Grandpa had a fall so Mom and Dad have gone to take care of him," said Gohan, shifting in his seat so one arm was on the back of the sofa, his other resting on the arm, "Goten's gone to Bulma's."

"Did I sleep all day?" she said, looking at the darkened window.

"On and off, your mind didn't seem to want you to rest properly," he said. His stomach was tying itself in knots. He was truly alone with Appura. She walked over to the sofa and sat down, about six inches from him, leaning back against the cushions, her hair touching his arm. He took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on the TV. "Do you fancy a drink?" Appura asked after a moment.

"Yes," replied Gohan a little too quickly. Appura got up and left. She came back a couple of minutes later with a wine bottle and two glasses.

"My Dad gave me this for my birthday," she said as she put the glasses on the coffee table. Gohan sat up straight as she pulled the cork from the bottle. "He actually gave me a couple of bottles," she continued as she poured some out before sitting on the floor. Gohan slid off the sofa and sat on the floor next to her. Appura took a sip from her wine and smiled. Gohan took a sip. He preferred beer but the wine wasn't too bad. "After the Cell games," Appura said, "Dad told me he stayed on Earth for three reasons. Me, Trunks and red wine." Gohan chuckled and took another sip.

"Gohan, can I ask you a question?" she asked after a moment's silence.

"You just did, but you may ask me another," he replied, smiling over the rim of his glass.

"Do you think I'm attractive?" Gohan looked at her in stunned silence. This was definitely uncharted territory for them. The subject of how they felt about each other had never been approached. "Well...you're..." he started before his voice faltered and the room plunged back into silence. He looked away. "Gohan," Appura said firmly, making the Hybrid look at her, "Why don't you answer me? Am I unattractive?"

"What? No! It's just..." he said, his mind going completely blank as to what to say, "It's just you're Vegeta's..."

"I'm Vegeta's daughter," said Appura, a frown on her face, "Thanks Gohan, thanks for letting me know that I'm wasting my time here." She finished her wine and left. Gohan was left staring at the spot where she'd been sitting for a moment before he got up and looked for her. She was in the kitchen, sweeping of all things. "What was all that about?" he asked, standing in the doorway, pointing back towards the living room. Appura didn't stop, she kept on sweeping. "What was what about?" she said, not looking up.

"The little burst of female insanity in the living room," said Gohan, still thoroughly confused and a little angry.

"I asked you a question, you hesitated in answering so I assumed the answer was no," replied Appura, still sweeping.

"You completely blindsided me with the question," argued Gohan, moving into the kitchen and leaning on a chair.

"Blindsided you? Gohan, in the six weeks I've been here, you have kissed me on three separate occasions and stated you weren't afraid of my father," said Appura, finally stopping sweeping and leaning on the broom, "I assumed you were interested in pursuing a relationship with me, but I ask you a simple question about whether you like me or not and you can't even answer it."

"But..."

No, no, you listen to me, Son Gohan!" said Appura, throwing the broom to the floor, "I have been dicked about by guys before, ok! The last guy I felt anything for, the last time I saw him was when he was running down the driveway of my house to his car after he slept with me. Now, answer me this question: is the reason you've been kissing me that you're attracted to me or that you're not over Videl and need a little physical contact? Because if it is, please, tell me now so I can leave before I embarrass myself further and I can let my father do his 'I told you so' speech once more, like he's been dying to do since I told him that I was attracted to you." Gohan looked her in the eye. Those beautiful, angry, blue eyes seemed to pierce into him. There was a faint glimmer of hope in them. Hope that Gohan would tell her what she secretly wanted him to say. But that glimmer was beginning to flicker out. Appura stood there, her hands on her hips, every inch her father's daughter. The sense of pride was emanating from her just like it did Vegeta but it wobbled, dangerously close to collapsing.

Gohan stood up straight and felt her eyes follow him as he towered over her. He moved around the table and walked up to her. It was time to sink or swim. Appura's hands left her hips and she took half a step back. Her hands clasped together in the centre of her chest as she craned her neck to look at Gohan. He looked down at her. His demeanour had changed. His Saiyan side was in control and Appura was just a little afraid. Gohan stopped when he was toe to toe with her, looking straight down at her. "Gohan..." she started.

Before she could finish her sentence, he had lifted her up in his arms, hooking her legs over his hips and had captured her lips with his own, crushing his mouth against hers. Appura wrapped her arms around his neck. She felt Gohan bite her lower lip gently before running his tongue over it. She parted her lips and he stumbled forward. She felt him collide with the counter, grunting as he did so. Gohan didn't break the kiss and continued his tongue's assault on Appura's mouth. He lifted her slightly so she was resting on the counter. He let go of her legs and began to pull the red checked shirt off her shoulders. Appura shrugged it off as Gohan's lips left hers and began to kiss along her jaw and nip at her neck. "Gohan," she said gently. Gohan pulled away to look at her, resting his forehead against hers.

"You are what I want, my princess," he said in a low voice, almost too low to be Gohan's, "And I will make you mine." He held her chin in his hand and pulled her into another bruising kiss as her hands began to fumble with his shirt buttons. She slid off the counter and Gohan moved with her as he literally ripped her black vest from her body. His hands cupped her breasts, gently running his thumbs over the sensitive nubs, making her gasp. Gohan felt his groin tighten when she made that noise. He pressed his hips against hers. She could feel him against her. "Gohan," she whispered once more. He shrugged off his shirt before lifting her up and carrying her into his bedroom...her bedroom...whatever.

He laid her down on the bed and started pulling her pants down her legs, kissing her stomach as he went. Appura closed her eyes. Gohan kissed her lips again, stroking the side of her face with one hand whilst the other was hastily unfastening his own pants and pushing them down. They were just separated by one thin layer of fabric. Gohan covered her body with his own, propping himself up on his forearms as his mouth laid siege to hers. They eventually had to part for breath. Gohan looked down at her and smiled. She smiled back and wiggled her way out of her underwear as Gohan did the same, both teens blushing profusely. "You feel like your confidence just flew off out the window?" Appura asked, averting her gaze from the naked Hybrid above her.

"A little," Gohan chuckled, before gently turning her face so she looked at him again, "But I still know I want this...what about you?" Appura looked up at him. He felt his breath catch in his chest at the sight of those beautiful blue eyes. She smirked and pulled him down into a kiss. Gohan shifted himself into a comfortable position between her legs as he trailed hot kisses and bites down her neck. "Ready?" he whispered in her ear.

"Yes," came her reply. He lifted her hips up so they were at a better angle before pushing himself in. He felt her body stiffen at the intrusion. Gohan froze. Not because he was afraid of hurting her but from shock at the hot tightness of her. It was intense. "You ok?" he heard her ask.

"Y..yeah," he choked out, "Woah, that's..."

"Yeah, Saiyan women are more intense than humans, in more ways than one," she said.

"You're not kidding!" said Gohan, shifting himself slightly to get more comfortable. Appura giggled a little. "Please don't laugh while we're doing this," Gohan muttered as he tried to concentrate on what to do next. Appura didn't stop, she couldn't help herself. From the moment she had met Gohan, she had taken a liking to him but never in a million years had she thought she would actually end up in bed with him. Her giggles were turning into a full blown fit of laughter, making Gohan very irritable as tears began to stream down her face. The whole situation seemed so ridiculous. The daughter of Vegeta in bed with the son of Kakarot.

Gohan snorted irritably. His pride felt wounded. He was ready to give her a night to remember and she was giggling before they'd even gotten started. He put a hand on either side of her head as she wiped tears from her eyes and steadied himself. Whilst she was distracted by her fits of laughter, he pulled out slightly before thrusting back into her with full force. She stopped laughing. She gasped, her hands gripped his forearms and her back arched. Gohan grunted a little. He'd pushed himself in to the hilt and the sensation was immense.

Appura's heart was thumping in shock. That had been sneaky, underhanded and...Saiyan. She smirked up at him and made her internal muscles squeeze him. It was his turn to gasp in shock. He matched her smirk before kissing her and setting the pace of their love making. Appura closed her eyes as Gohan filled her with each thrust. His sheer size and technique made the last two guys she had been with seem like...well, boys. But Gohan, he was a man and a Saiyan one at that; humans just couldn't compare. Gohan lowered himself so he was resting on his forearms again, not once breaking his pace. Appura's neck arched and he took the opportunity to start nipping at the delicate, soft flesh, gently caressing the bite marks he left with his tongue and lips as his right hand gently caressed her side. "Gohan," she moaned. Her fingers raked down his back, leaving red marks. He could feel her tightening around him as her legs folded themselves around his waist, allowing him greater access. He bit her shoulder. "Gohan," she moaned once more. Oh how he loved the sound of her moaning his name. He felt her tail slink it's way around his leg, the fur soft against his skin. His pace began to increase as he felt his groin tighten. "Appura," he whispered breathlessly into her ear. She moaned in reply, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her breath was coming in short pants as she felt the pressure that was building within her. Suddenly, Appura felt the pressure explode and her insides convulsing. She let out a cry and her back arched. Gohan felt her muscles clamp down on him and he roared as he released into her. Appura's arms slid from around his neck and encircled her head. Her eyes were still closed and she was panting. Gohan smirked down at her sated form, holding himself up off the Saiyan princess. "That was amazing," Appura panted. Gohan chuckled.

"Come on then," said Appura, looking back up at the Half-Saiyan, "Let's see what else you got."

"You want to go again?" said Gohan in slight disbelief. Appura nodded, smiling wickedly.

The next morning, Gohan was woken by something shifting next to him. He blinked his eyes open and looked next to him. It was Appura. She was wrapped in the sheets, curled up next to him. He smiled as he remembered the night before. Her head was resting on his left arm. She was asleep. There was no tossing and turning, no muttering under her breath. She was sleeping, dreaming about something nice judging by the smile on her face. Gohan smiled and pulled her closer. Appura slid one arm across his broad chest. He pressed a kiss to her head and whispered, "You're perfect to me. No matter what anyone ever thinks of you, remember that."


	10. Chapter 10 Appura's Final Test

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to Dragonball Z**

**A/N: Ok, children, those of you who don't like lemon can come out from behind the sofa now. There's a bit of a Bulma/Vegeta scene at the end, just because I love them so much as a couple.**

**Chapter 10**

**Appura's Final Test**

Goku smiled softly as he saw Gohan give Appura a quick kiss. The pair had openly admitted what they had done when Goku and Chi-Chi had come home three weeks before. Not that they could really hide it from Goku. His Saiyan sense of smell meant he could detect that unique combination of sweat and pheromones that could only be attributed to two teenagers having sex the second he and Chi-Chi returned. Chi-Chi was unsure on what to feel. On the one hand, she was thrilled that Gohan had found himself a girlfriend, on the other hand, she didn't know if she could trust Appura because she was Saiyan. Goku thought it was a great idea, the last two Saiyan families united.

The reason for Gohan's little public display of affection was that it was his first day of university and he was about to head off to Satan City. Goku had on last lesson planned for Appura and she was definitely not going to like it. Today was the day. He was going to take her to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber for the last of her training. He watched his son press a kiss to his girlfriend's forehead and then take to the air, heading north towards Satan City.

"Appura," Goku said firmly. The girl turned her head slightly to look at her teacher.

"Yes?" she said.

"It's time." Appura nodded and picked up the pack that had been resting next to the front door. She'd been preparing for this ever since Goku had first mentioned it. A whole year of intense training. A whole year. She jumped when she felt Goku's hand on her shoulder. "Hold on," said Goku, raising two fingers to his forehead. Appura felt in the familiar sensation of Instant Transmission. Her feet left solid ground for a split second before the soft grass of Mt. Paozu was replaced with the tiled floor of the Lookout. Mr. Popo and Dende were waiting for them. Goku headed off to check with Mr. Popo that all the supplies were ready. "Welcome to the Lookout, Princess Appura," said Dende, stepping forward, "I am Dende, Guardian of the Earth. And I am a good friend of Gohan's. I know he cares for you greatly." Appura blushed a little. She'd heard that the Guardian could see and hear everything. "Oh, er, thank you, for allowing Goku and I to use the Chamber," she said politely.

"It's quite alright," said Dende, "After all the threats the Earth has faced in the past, one more trained Saiyan warrior can't hurt."

"Appura! Hurry up! Let's get to work!" called Goku's voice from inside the building.

"Nice to meet you, Dende," said Appura, racing off. Goku met her at the entrance to the building. He pointed in the right direction before turning back to face Dende. He winked and gave him the thumbs up. Dende returned the gesture.

* * *

><p>Appura watched as Mr. Popo opened the door to the Chamber. She gulped. "You ok?" asked Goku. She looked at her teacher and nodded. She trusted him completely but that didn't mean she wasn't nervous. Goku held out his hand to her. "C'mon, take my hand, you'll be ok," he said, "There's a gravity increase inside so you may find it difficult to walk to start off with." Appura reached out and took Goku's hand with both of hers. He led her through the door.<p>

The second she stepped over the threshold the door slammed shut. She looked behind her. This was it. A whole year away from her mother, Trunks, Bulma...Gohan. She looked at the door for a moment before turning back around. Goku stood a little way into the chamber, having let go of her hands the moment the door closed. She stood there and looked out. Her fingers played with the edge of her shirt. This was it, this was what she had wanted. Training. To never feel so pathetic and useless and weak as she had the night of the home invasion. She took off her pack and put it down next to her.

She took a deep breath and stepped forward. The second her foot touched the ground, she found herself slammed into the floor. The gravity was ten times Earth's gravity. The shock of it made her lay on the ground for a moment before she slowly forced herself to stand. It took every ounce of her strength to do it but she managed to stand up if a little shaky. Goku smiled. She'd passed the first test. The next one was to see if she could walk.

* * *

><p>Gohan was sat outside, watching the sun set. He had completed his first day of university. He had enjoyed it but had declined the offer of going out for drinks with some of the other students on his particle physics course. He had regretted it after coming home to find that his girlfriend and his father had left to use the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. He supposed he could read a book or something, try and make the time go quicker but all he really wanted to do was follow them, follow Appura. Some part of him had suddenly decided it didn't trust his dad with her. A ridiculous notion, yes, but it still didn't settle well with him. He sighed and headed inside, deciding reading a book was a good idea after all.<p>

* * *

><p>The first night inside the Chamber was intense. The high gravity and denser air made Appura's dreams vivid.<p>

_She was stood on a cliff top, a very high cliff top, higher than she'd ever been before, staring out at a crystal clear ocean but felt scared, unsure rather than calm and peaceful. There was someone behind her. She couldn't tell who it was. Their hands were on her shoulders; they were either holding her back or going to give her a push. Their grip tightened. Wait; there were three, four pairs of hands holding her. She was confused. What was going on? Suddenly one set of hands, the strongest, let go and the cliff below her began to crumble. It gave way and she plummeted towards the ocean. She panicked. She couldn't fly! As she got closer to the ocean, she began to see her reflection only it didn't look like her. Her hair was standing up on end and was blonde, her eyes were pupil-less and turquoise. Super Saiyan. She'd gone higher than ever before and was now falling even further. As she hit the ocean, she awoke with a jump_.

Goku was still snoring away. Appura wiped the sweat from her face. That was bizarre.

* * *

><p>Gohan was still pretending to read his book. "Gohan," called his mother's voice, "Gohan, come inside for dinner." A part of Gohan didn't want to move. A part of him wanted to stay right there in case she came back. She was only going to be gone for twenty-four hours to him, but for her, it would be the longest, most intense year of her life. She would suffer pressures she'd never felt before. She would have to throw all of herself into her training if she wanted to be as strong as her father, his father and himself. The longest twenty-four hours of his life.<p>

* * *

><p>The training in the Chamber was intense, pushing Appura to physical limits she didn't know she had. She'd never felt so much pain in her life and it wasn't just her body that cried out in agony. Her heart hurt, it literally felt sore, like something was missing. Gohan. Just thinking about him hurt but it only pushed her to become better. She wanted to be able to match him in almost every single way. He was something for her to aspire to, a goal for her to meet.<p>

For eighteen hours a day she trained non-stop with Goku, pushing herself to be like him and Gohan. She got used to the gravity within the training area within a couple of days but she didn't get used to the nightmares which came on an almost nightly basis all with the same scenario. She was being held up, someone let go and she fell.

After three months of nightmares, she stopped going to sleep. But being awake would bring Gohan to the fore-front of her mind. She missed him so much, it was almost like torture, but she couldn't even admit to herself the true depth of her feelings. She loved him. After two weeks of no sleep, Goku found her meditating or rather attempting to. "Still having those nightmares?" he asked. She'd told him about the dreams. She nodded. "Look Appura, I don't know anything about dreams," he said, sitting next to her, "But in order to become a Super Saiyan, I reached the highest point in my life and then fell further than I've ever fallen before. Super Saiyan is achieved in a moment of pure frustration and desperation. Me, I was fighting Freiza, Gohan, it was fear that Cell would kill all his friends."

"Goku," said Appura, "I'm scared that these dreams are saying I have to lose someone I care about in order to do it. I want to reach Super Saiyan, I really do but not at the cost of a loved one."

"I lost Krillin," said Goku solemnly, "He had to die in order for me to achieve that level."

"I understand," she said, "Thanks Goku."

"Don't mention it," he said, standing up and walking away.

"Hey, Goku," she said, looking over her shoulder, "Why can't I fly yet?" Goku turned around and looked back at her. "That is something only you know," he said, "You're holding yourself back and only you can deal with it." Goku headed back to the living area and got himself a drink. He looked back towards Appura. She was walking further into the Chamber. "Good luck," he muttered.

* * *

><p>Gohan lay in his bed alone for the first time in weeks. It smelt like her, the sheets, the pillows, everything. He'd never realised you could miss someone this much in less than a day. He wondered what she was up to. He tried to work out how long they'd been in the Chamber now...five...six months maybe? Or was it more than that? His brain was too tired to do the math. He wished he could have gone with them, but the Chamber only had enough supplies for two people to train for a year. A third person would have been pointless and they would have either starved or forced to leave early, neither was an option.<p>

He wondered if she missed him as much as he missed her. Twenty-four hours that's all he had to wait. He laughed a little. Twenty-four hours ago, she'd been lying in his arms, asleep whilst he watched her. He wished he could just give her a kiss or stroke her hair. He hoped her feelings wouldn't change after this time apart. No! He couldn't think like that! Appura wasn't just going to turn around and changer her heart. She wasn't Videl! Gohan groaned and covered his eyes. This was going to be the longest twenty-four hours of his life.

* * *

><p>Appura was out there for a week with no food or water. Luckily her Saiyan genetics made her more resilient to the pressures of the Chamber. She spent that time sparring with the empty space that surrounded her or meditating, pondering on what Goku had said. She went so far into the chamber that she could barely move at first but she soon got used to it. She was about to do something practically suicidal, she wanted to be as far from Goku as she could to do it.<p>

On the seventh day, Goku found her passed out in the training area. He raced over to her. She was laying on the ground, her skin bruised, cut and burnt but a smile on her face. "Only the daughter of Vegeta could spend a week beating herself half to death and be smiling about it," he said, pulling her up and dragging her back to the living area. He got her to drink some water. She coughed about half of it back up but with patience, Goku managed to get a couple of glasses down her. "I nearly did it," she said in a hoarse voice, "I nearly did it, Goku."

"Did what?" asked Goku.

"I nearly went Super Saiyan," she said, "I'm this close." She held up her finger and thumb to demonstrate. "You're gonna kill yourself doing that," said Goku, "You can't force it. I already told you, it comes from a need not a desire."

"Bulma told my dad the same thing," she said, "But he still did it. I know if I can reach that level, if I can make the transformation, he will be proud of me, I will have proven I'm a true Saiyan warrior and still be worthy of being a princess."

"You'll have proven that you're suicidal," said Goku, kneeling next to her.

"Can you honestly say you're surprised?" she said. Goku smiled and pulled her up.

"I think it's time you get some rest," said Goku, lifting her up and onto her bed.

That night, Appura's dream changed. She still fell, hurtling into the ocean but managed to stop herself and rose back up towards the cliff top and further. Yes, she may rise and then fall, but she would rise again, stronger than ever before.

The next day, the sparring resumed. Goku wanted to go easy on her, but Appura wouldn't let him, forcing him to go all out against her. Her speed even in the high gravity was astounding, most likely due to her being smaller and lighter than Goku. She was meeting him blow for blow and even landing a few that made the older Saiyan stagger backwards. Goku took a swipe at her. She disappeared. He looked all around, she was nowhere in sight. He looked upwards. She was hovering several metres in the air. She'd done it. She'd finally mastered her ki. Her arms were stretched wide open, her eyes were closed as if she was basking in victory.

"Sonic Wave!" she shouted, slamming her hands together. The air bent, sending Goku flying. When he stopped moving, he realised that he couldn't hear anything save for a ringing in his ears. He felt disorientated, almost like he was drunk. He couldn't sense Appura anywhere until the split second before her foot connected with his back, sending him flying through the air. Goku landed in a heap and looked over at the princess. She hadn't just mastered her ki, she was attacking with it, bending the air to her will. She'd done something in the depths of the chamber and it had worked. Whatever had been holding her back was gone and woe betide anyone who got in the way of Appura, Princess of the Saiyans, First Born and Guardian of their History.

* * *

><p>Vegeta frowned and looked around. He and the other Z warriors had been summoned to the Lookout by Dende who had been oddly vague about the details when the Saiyan Prince had asked. Vegeta knew it wasn't something important as Krillin and 18 had brought Marron with them, and Chi-Chi was there with Gohan and Goten. Gohan was acting shifty. He wasn't making eye contact with Vegeta which was unusual for him. Instead, the young Hybrid was stood away from everyone else, looking at the ground, a white box under one arm. Chi-Chi was chatting with Bulma and Goten was taking turns with Trunks to take Marron flying. Vegeta folded his arms and looked out over the Earth that sprawled below them. "Ah, Vegeta, I'm glad you came," said a voice that Vegeta recognised as the Guardian of the Earth.<p>

"Quiet, bean sprout," snapped Vegeta, "Care to tell me the real reason why I'm here?"

"Your daughter," said Dende carefully, "She has completed her training with Goku. He asked me to gather everyone to greet her when she emerges from the Chamber." Vegeta snorted. Pathetic, Kakarot was coddling Appura, appeasing her emotions rather than encouraging her to be a steadfast, cold-hearted warrior like she would have been had Vegeta had the inclination or desire to train her. He looked out over the Earth once more. A lush green world he had sacrificed everything for so Appura and Trunks to grow up in peace and safety. Ima had been wrong when she had accused Vegeta of refusing to train Appura over some archaic Saiyan tradition. He had been afraid of losing her. "Vegeta, they're coming out, come on, quickly!" called Bulma. Vegeta turned away from his view of the world and looked towards the entrance to the Chamber.

The door slowly creaked open and the bright light that filled the Chamber spilled out, causing everyone close by to raise their arms to shield their eyes. Slowly their eyes adjusted and they could see two figures emerging; Goku and Appura. Goku came out first, his gi was ripped and torn but he was more or less in one peace, which couldn't be said for Appura. She was bruised, battered and limping, but she was carrying herself with the pride that befitted a Saiyan and she was smiling. No one said a word as she inched past Goku. She smiled at her family and friends. Trunks was the first to move. "Appura!" he cried, rushing over and throwing his arms around his battered sister. "Are you stronger now?" he said, bouncing up and down, "Wow, this is so cool, can we can spar now? Can you fly?" At that last comment, Appura stood up straight. "Catch me if you can," she chuckled. She turned slightly to the left and started running towards the edge.

Vegeta just watched as Appura leapt off the side of the Lookout and into the air. He instinctively moved forward to catch her but stopped when he saw her flying upwards. The little brat had been suppressing her ki! Her power level was shooting up and showed no signs of slowing down. "Alright Appura!" he heard Yamcha shout, "I knew you had it in you, kiddo!" Appura came to a stop, hovering above her father. She didn't hear the other shouts of encouragement from the other Z warriors; she was watching her father's face. Vegeta slowly took to the air until he was face to face with her. Goten and Trunks had been about to fly over but hung back as the Saiyan Prince met with his daughter.

"Huh...hi Dad," she said nervously.

"Congratulations, your training with Kakarot is complete apparently," said Vegeta.

"Thanks Dad," she said, "Daddy, I need to talk to you about something." Vegeta raised an eyebrow. She only really called him 'Daddy' when she was after something.

"Well? What is it?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"Daddy, I'm dating Gohan," said Appura, quickly. It was like ripping off a band aid. Both of Vegeta's eyebrows rose and his eyes widened. "Ok, Dad, look don't freak out," she said gently.

"YOU'RE WHAT?" screamed Vegeta.

"I said 'don't freak out'!" Appura shouted. But Vegeta wasn't listening; he already had Gohan in his sights. It suddenly made sense, Gohan's distance, his uneasiness, his unwillingness to make eye contact with Vegeta. He fazed out from in front of Appura. "No, Daddy, don't," she screamed as Vegeta reappeared in front of Gohan. Vegeta's fist collided with Gohan's face before the Hybrid had a chance to react, sending him flying across the Lookout. Appura sped over and blocked Vegeta's advancing path. "Move aside, Appura," Vegeta barked. Appura shook her head and adopted a battle stance over Gohan's stunned form. The white box he had been carrying was lying about six feet away. "I said, move aside," snapped Vegeta, "Let me rip that runt apart."

"Not gonna happen, Dad," said Appura, focussing on her father.

"Fine," said Vegeta bluntly. His left foot connected with her stomach, sending her flying into the air. He then grabbed Gohan by his shirt front and pulled him up. He didn't have chance to lay a finger on Gohan before Appura's foot connected with the side of his head. As Vegeta felt himself being forced into the air by the kick, he let go of Gohan and grabbed Appura's ankle, throwing her into the ground in the split second before he skidded across the Lookout's tiled floor.

Appura landed on Gohan with a grunt. She was just recovering when Vegeta reappeared in front of them. The others were racing over. "I'll give you one more chance to move, Appura," said Vegeta.

"No, Dad, I won't move. I love him," she said, looking up at her father. Vegeta scowled as Gohan finally came to. "You...you love me?" said Gohan, looking at the girl who was knelt between his legs, protecting him from the angry Saiyan Prince. Vegeta was seething. Appura looked over her shoulder and smiled at Gohan. "Yes," she said, "Very much so." Gohan smiled too. Vegeta snarled and powered down. "Fine," he said, "Have it your way, Appura, but know this, this boy isn't worthy of you in my eyes. Gohan, don't make me regret not killing you today." With that he turned on his heel and stomped off to the other side of the Lookout to sulk. Gohan slowly stood up with a little help from Appura. Everyone except Goku and Chi-Chi looked at the pair with surprised expressions. 18 held out her hand to Krillin and made a 'cough-up' gesture. Krillin grumbled and reached into his pocket for his wallet. Goten and Trunks looked confused. Gohan and Appura paid no attention to any of them. "Are you ok?" Appura asked, looking Gohan's face over for any injuries.

"Yeah, he just caught me by surprise," said Gohan, smiling that goofy Son grin, "I love you too." Appura blushed and focussed her attention on the box Gohan had been carrying. "What's in the box?" she asked.

"Oh that's from me," said Goku, walking over to it and picking it up, "Here you go." He handed the box over to Appura. Appura took it gently. She looked it over and gave it a quick shake. "Sounds like shoes," she said.

"Well, shoes are part of it," said Goku, grinning the same grin as his son, one hand behind his head. Appura looked at him and raised one eyebrow. She rested the box on her left hand and pulled the lid off with her right. She dropped it to the floor and moved the white tissue paper aside. Inside the box was a blue and orange gi, complete with the _Son_ kanji on the front and back, two blue weighted wristbands and a pair of blue boots. Appura stared at the contents of the box. "What do ya think?" asked Goku. Appura looked up at the elder Saiyan. Her friend, her teacher, Kakarot. She dropped the box, jumped over it and hugged Goku faster than most of those present could see. "Thank you, Goku, thank you," she said, squeezing him tight.

"It's no problem," he said, "You deserve it."

"Thank you," said Appura, pulling away, "But is it ok if I only wear it when I'm training with you or entering a tournament?" Goku looked puzzled and then spotted Vegeta looking over.

"Of course," he said smiling at the Saiyan Princess, "It's your gi, you can wear it whenever you like. But I would like to see you try it on."

"Cool," said Appura, picking up the box and running around the side of the building.

"Hey, son, you feeling ok?" Goku asked Gohan who was still a little unsteady on his feet.

"I feel like I got hit by a truck," said Gohan, holding his head.

"I think you need to go and talk with Vegeta," said Goku, nodding towards the Saiyan Prince. Gohan nodded and walked over to the other side of the Lookout. "Vegeta," he said, "We should talk."

"No, I'll talk," said Vegeta, not moving a muscle, "You will stand there and listen, got it?"

"Yes," said Gohan.

"Appura has had her heart broken before, hence why I'm more than a little cautious about her dating," said Vegeta, "Did she tell you about the last sap she fell for?"

"She said that the guy took off before she even woke up the next morning," said Gohan quietly. He didn't want to broadcast Appura's romantic failures to everyone.

"Lao is the elder brother of Appura' oldest friend," Vegeta said, "She pined after him for five years and when she finally got what she wanted, he skipped town, never to be heard from again. I trust history will not repeat itself here."

"It won't," said Gohan, firmly, "I love Appura."

"Good," said Vegeta, "She looks ridiculous in that get-up." Gohan turned around and saw Appura had changed into her gi. He didn't agree with Vegeta's statement; he thought Appura looked completely natural in her new gi. "Why didn't you train her yourself then?" Gohan asked cautiously. He saw the Prince visibly stiffen at the question. "I...I thought if I trained her, then she would no longer need me," Vegeta replied.

"You're her dad, Vegeta," said Gohan, "She'll always need you. Ask Bulma, she'll agree with me." Vegeta snorted in response. "Fine, be that way, but I'm right," Gohan continued, "I know you mean the world to Appura and I've seen it eat away at her whilst she was training. Ask Bulma what I mean. She'll tell you."

"Why the hell would I ask my wife about my daughter's behaviour?"

"Because your wife is someone's daughter and she's the only one you'll listen to," replied Gohan.

* * *

><p>Vegeta sat cross-legged on the bed that night, concentrating. He was checking on his children. From Trunks room, five doors to the left, he could just about hear the flat even breathing of two small boys. Both he and Goten had fallen asleep. From Appura's room, five doors to the right, he could hear whispering but nothing distinct. He wanted to march down there and drag Kakarot's boy out by the hair. But that was a bad idea. He was distracted by the sound of the toilet flushing in the en-suite bathroom. The door opened and Bulma strolled in. Vegeta opened one eye and took in her appearance. He smirked. She was just in her underwear, revealing her slender body to him. He licked his lips. She looked damn good for a human of forty-two. She had barely changed in the ten years they had been together. You could barely tell she'd had a child. "Don't look at me like that," her voice brought him from his thoughts.<p>

"Like what?" he retorted.

"Like I'm food," said Bulma as she searched her dresser for some nightwear, "We have house guests, so nothing tonight."

"Everyone bar Appura and Kakarot's eldest are asleep," said Vegeta.

"Doesn't matter," said Bulma as she removed her bra and threw it in the general direction of the laundry basket but missed by a foot and half. She ignored it as she pulled a nightgown over her head. Vegeta grumbled under his breath and climbed off the bed. He was nothing if not meticulous when it came to cleaning. It wasn't an uncommon sight for him to occasionally follow her around the house, tidying after her. A remnant from his days under Freiza. He couldn't control his life back then, but he could control inanimate objects and tidy them away. Unfortunately neither Appura nor Trunks had inherited this trait and hence their rooms looked so much like bombs had hit them that Vegeta couldn't even look in them without breaking a sweat. Vegeta sighed as he picked up Bulma's discarded clothing and put them in the laundry basket. He heard Bulma giggle. "What, woman?" he asked.

"I just pictured you in a maid's outfit," Bulma laughed. Vegeta snorted and returned to the bed, focussing his hearing once more on Appura's room. He could hear even breathing from two people. They'd finally gone to sleep. "Everyone's asleep now," he muttered.

"The answer's still no," said Bulma as she switched off the main light. Vegeta sighed and kicked off his sweat pants.

He always slept naked, something both Trunks and Appura had discovered four years ago. Trunks had snuck into Appura's room and jumped on her. Appura had retaliated by kicking him. Trunks had immediately gone running to tell his parents that his half-sister had kicked him with Appura hot on his tail, shouting that he'd started it. Trunks had then burst through the door only to be confronted by his angry father. It wasn't that they were making a noise or had been fighting; Vegeta had simply been in the middle of convincing Bulma to have morning sex when the screaming had started. Not thinking, Vegeta had got up to tell them to knock it off, only to cause even more screaming from Trunks. Appura, thankfully, hadn't made it into the room. She'd been just outside the door when Trunks had bolted out the room, knocking her over. She had just lifted her head just to see her father's feet disappearing into Trunks' room. Needless to say, both children had been slightly traumatised by the event. Ima had thought it was hilarious.

Bulma climbed into bed and was immediately pulled against her husband's chest. It was comforting for both of them to be close to each other. "Bulma," Vegeta said quietly after a few moments. Bulma smiled. She knew this had been coming. This was their time, when they could be completely open with each other. Their whole day could go by without them saying two words to each other but as soon as the curtains were drawn, the lights were out and they were in bed, the floodgates opened and they truly talked. "Yes, my Prince," she replied.

"I want to ask you about something Gohan said earlier," Vegeta replied, his fingers gently trailing up and down Bulma's spine. "Hmm?" responded Bulma.

"He said, that even though she can protect herself, Appura will always need me," said Vegeta, "He said you'd understand because you are someone's daughter."

"Vegeta, I am going to repeat what I've been telling you for the last six years when it comes to Appura," said Bulma, "And you had better be listening this time. To a girl, any girl, the most important man in her life is her daddy. He comes right up there, above boyfriends, husbands, sons, brothers, even men who teach her martial arts. If I were to list all the men in my life starting with the most important, it would be my dad, Trunks, you and then Goku. I haven't got round to ranking the others yet."

"You put the boy above me?"

"I gave birth to him, Vegeta," sighed Bulma, "He is my son. I'm willing to bet Trunks and Appura are above me in your list of people who are important for you."

"Only just," replied Vegeta, "What do you think Appura's list is?"

"You, Trunks, Gohan and then I dunno, maybe Goku, maybe Chester," said Bulma, "I dunno. I'm tired...but I am certain on the first three." Vegeta took a deep breath and settled his head back on his pillow, his eyes closed. "Hey, Vegeta," muttered Bulma.

"What is it, woman?"

"You beat Goku on mine and Appura's lists," she replied. Vegeta chuckled before settling back down. This was ultimately his second-favourite part of the day, the quiet dark time before sleep where he felt safe enough to be open with his mate. His favourite was coming up next. His hand slid down her back and began massaging her backside gently. "Everyone asleep?" Bulma asked quietly.

"Yes," said Vegeta.

"Fine, but we have to be quiet," she replied.

* * *

><p>AN: I apologise for how out of character Vegeta seems in this chapter.


	11. Chapter 11 Puchin's Curse

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z**

**A/N: This is going to be a long one, with lots of flashbacks which will be in italics.**

**Chapter 11**

**Puchin's Curse**

"Trunks, will you stop jumping up and down, I need to concentrate," hissed Appura, attempting to slap her little brother's legs as he bounced about behind her. She'd been attempting to put on her eyeliner for ten minutes but the little Hybrid was bouncing on her bed. She made one more attempt but Goten promptly ran in and both of them started bouncing on the bed. Appura's hand slipped and she ended up with a thick line of eyeliner over each cheek. She growled and the pencil snapped in her fingers. She stood up. "Right, that's it!" she shouted. She spun around and was about to grab the two demi-Saiyans when they rolled off the bed and started to run. Unfortunately, Goten got caught up in Appura's bridesmaid dress and ran off with it wrapped around his neck. "Goten, come back!" she screamed but the two boys were long gone. She stormed off after them.

She was fuming. She'd accidentally left her dressing gown in Gohan's room the night before so now all she had on was the white corset, white panties with white hold-up stockings she was to wear under the silver dress. She didn't have any shoes on, her make-up was half-done and her hair was up in curlers. Bulma and Chi-Chi were helping her mother get ready so Appura's only job was to get herself ready but now she was chasing two little boys through the house in just her underwear. She knew where they were headed. One of the conference rooms was being used by all the guys to get ready; no doubt they thought they could hide in there to escape the angry Saiyan Princess.

As she got closer, she heard the door slam. She smirked. This was like hunting, except her prey were two little boys and her dress. She slowed down, deciding to lull them into a false sense of security. She slowly opened the door and peeked inside. Her father was nowhere to be seen. Goku was having his tie straightened by Yamcha and Gohan was just fastening his pants. Krillin and Master Roshi were talking off to one side. Appura smirked. May as well give Gohan a sneak peek at what he'd be seeing later. She pushed the door open all the way and stepped in. "Appura!" said Yamcha, "What the hell?" The other men all jumped as she stalked into the room and Krillin, Yamcha and Goku covered their eyes when they saw how little she was wearing.

"Don't worry, I won't be long," she said, scanning the room, her tail gently twitching as she searched for the two boys. She caught Gohan's eye. He promptly pointed at the table. Appura bent down. There was a scream and Goten emerged from the other side, complete with Appura's dress. She leapt over the table, landing in between the small boy and Master Roshi. She rolled her eyes as she heard the perverted old master chuckle. She held out her hand to the terrified little boy. "Dress, now," she said. Goten removed her dress from his neck and handed it over.

"Oh no you don't, old man," she heard Gohan say. She looked behind her. Gohan had hold of Roshi's wrist which was stretched out, trying to grab Appura's butt. "Thanks Gohan," she said, throwing her dress over her shoulder and leaving. "See you boys later," she said. No one replied. She smirked and headed back to her room to finish getting ready.

* * *

><p>Vegeta took another drag from his cigarette. He'd been dreading this day, the day the mother of his daughter married that pathetic scar-faced weakling. It was forcing him to relive his past more and more when he thought of Ima. There were lots of bad memories associated with Ima, not all her fault but a few were. One stuck out in particular. It had been about six months after they had spent the night together, the night Appura had been conceived...<p>

_Vegeta stomped over to the tavern that the beggar-child had pointed to him right before he soiled himself. Raditz and Nappa were just behind him. Raditz was rather sullen but that was probably from the beating that Nappa and Vegeta had dished out the night before as a warm-up for what they had in store for the former High Priestess. She was going to regret ever running away and then Raditz was going to regret helping her._

_Five months before, Vegeta and Nappa had returned to the quarters assigned to the four Saiyans from a 'meeting' with Freiza to find Raditz sat on his own, looking very sorry for himself. The pair had managed to force what had happened out the third-class Saiyan and had been furious. Ima, it seemed, had been plotting escape for a while and upon being discovered by Raditz, had convinced him to help her by holding over his head that got him to do anything: his younger brother. Even empty promises about going to find Kakarot would be enough to convince Raditz to do anything; the drunker he was, the more hilarious things he would do the other Saiyans had discovered some five years before. In this case, Ima had promised to find Kakarot if Raditz allowed her to escape._

_Vegeta wasn't even sure who had been angrier about Ima's escape; himself or Freiza. Consequently, Vegeta had gladly spent the last five months hunting his one-time bed-mate down, if only to give her a piece of his mind before he blasted her into the next world. Freiza had dealt out beatings all round for the remaining Saiyans for allowing the last female of their species to escape._

_Vegeta eyed the door of the tavern with contempt, like it was the inanimate object before him that had wronged him and not the woman beyond it. Nappa and Raditz hesitated as Vegeta paused. They'd never seen the Prince as pissed as he had been when Ima had run away. The pair knew that the Prince had bedded the much older Priestess during the woman's heat, much to the disappointment of Raditz who had hoped that Ima would choose him. _

_He had gotten fairly close to her in the lead up to her heat eight years before. Nappa had shown no interest in Ima, having already bonded with a female who had been caught in the destruction of their homeworld and Prince Vegeta had only been seventeen. He wouldn't have known that Ima was in heat if it had smacked him round the back of the head and said 'hello'. Raditz had been twenty and VERY aware of what was happening to her. He had been practically giddy in excitement at the idea of possibly bedding a Saiyan woman, scratch that, the last Saiyan woman. But instead, Ima had merely locked herself away for those three days and Nappa had slapped Raditz around the head and told him to control himself. Vegeta had just carried on as usual, completely ignoring what was happening between the adults around him._

_Vegeta kicked the door off it's crude hinges. The door flew across the room and promptly crushed a bar maid to death. Not that the arrogant young Prince cared. He just wanted to find Ima. The people inside the tavern remained frozen to the spot as the three Saiyans walked in. Nobody moved, very few even dared to breathe. For a moment nothing moved until, a blur at the back and the back door flew open. "After her!" barked Vegeta. He, Raditz and Nappa leapt across the room and followed the woman out the door. The door led out to a criss-crossing set of alleyways but thanks to the relative weakness of the native population, it wasn't difficult for the three Saiyans to isolate Ima using their scouters. She wasn't far away, in fact, given the speed she left the tavern, Vegeta had expected to be much further away. She was being slowed down by something. It took only a matter of moments for them to catch up with her. She was at the far end of the alleyway, her shape half-obscured by the white cloak she wore. "Game's up, Ima," Vegeta called as he came to a stop, "We've come to bring you back to the fold." He smirked as he lied to her. He watched her form stiffen and her arms moved around to her front. "Vegeta, please," she said softly, "I beg you to reconsider what you're going to do...please, even you would not be that cruel to the future of our race."_

"_What? What are you talking about?" spat Vegeta, wondering if Ima was trying to trick him._

"_You didn't tell him, did you Raditz?" asked Ima as she looked over her shoulder._

"_No," replied Raditz. Ima sighed and slowly turned around. Vegeta's eyes widened as he understood Ima's words and the reason why she had been going slow. Her stomach was fat with child, her arms gently cradling it. The future of their species. His child. He knew that the child was fully developed, the last three months in Saiyan pregnancy were just for developing the dense musculature that Saiyan's possessed. "Stay here," he ordered Nappa and Raditz numbly before walking over to Ima, his eyes fixed on her stomach._

"_This is why you ran away?" he said slowly. Ima nodded._

"_I killed you," said Vegeta._

"_What? What are you talking about?" said Ima confused._

"_I killed you, for betraying your race and fleeing like a coward," stated Vegeta firmly, "Isn't that right?" He raised his voice for the last three words._

"_Yes, boss," replied Nappa, "Blasted her into a billion pieces, it was brutal, wasn't Raditz?"_

"_Absolutely," confirmed Raditz albeit unenthusiastically._

"_Vegeta, you've never done a kind thing in your life, why are you doing this?" said Ima._

"_I will not allow my child to be raised under Freiza's tyranny," said Vegeta, "I want you to get as far away from Freiza's territory as you can before you give birth. If Freiza asks, I killed you, give me something of yours so I can confirm it." Ima removed a small chain from around her neck. "The mark of Thuranz, the last one in existence," she said, handing it over._

"_Perfect," said Vegeta, taking it, "Now. Run before I regain my sanity." Ima smiled and then quickly turned and headed off as fast as a heavily pregnant Saiyan could._

Vegeta smirked and took another drag from his cigarette. Ima, even after everything he'd put her and Appura through, had never uttered a word of that encounter to anyone, not even their daughter. He owed her his daughter, perhaps he could pretend to like the pathetic weakling Ima had chosen as his replacement, after all, Yamcha only had what forty years left before his life energy ran out...Ima had potentially another hundred or so...

* * *

><p>Appura sighed as she walked back into her room, removing her curlers as she went. She threw her dress back onto her bed and caught sight of herself in the vanity table's mirror. She groaned and walked into her en-suite bathroom. She ran the warm tap, wet a fresh face cloth and began to clean the eye liner off her skin. She looked up at the mirror and dropped the face cloth in shock. It was not her face that greeted her but rather a wrinkled greyish green face that resembled a frog's, with yellow eyes that just plain looked evil. "Greetings Princess Appura," said the reflection. Appura looked over her shoulder. There was no one there. "Oh I am no mere reflection," he continued, "I am the Grand Sorcerer Puchin...and you will pay for what your family did to me." Appura tried to move but felt frozen to the spot, like every joint and muscle in her body was locked in place. "You are the daughter of a Priestess of Thuranz," continued Puchin, "And it is truly fitting that you are dressed this way, so you will die looking like the whore that your ancestors were." He raised his hand.<p>

Appura had just enough time to scream Gohan's name before bolts of green energy erupted from mirror, shocking her and making her fall to the ground.

* * *

><p>"Gohan!" came the scream. Almost as quickly as it started, the scream ended. A thump resounded and Appura's ki began to fluctuate wildly. Gohan, much like the night of the home invasion, acted on instinct. He skidded round the corner, knocking Vegeta clear off his feet as he ran up the stairs. Goku promptly added to the Saiyan pile-up on the hallway floor by not looking where he was going. The door behind them flew open and Bulma appeared just in time to see her friend being flung through the air at her as Gohan leapt back to his feet and ran for Appura's room, Vegeta hot on his heels. She just managed to dodge to Saiyan who dented the floor as he landed. She didn't stop to ask questions; she followed Gohan and Vegeta, closely followed by Ima and Chi-Chi, both of whom were still only half-way through doing their hair.<p>

Gohan practically flew into Appura's room. He looked round, not thinking to check the bathroom and was confused by the lack of Appura. Vegeta marched straight past Gohan and up to the bathroom door. He pulled the door open and was greeted by a horrific sight. His daughter, surrounded by a net of green energy, convulsing on the floor. Time seemed to slow down. He didn't move a muscle and neither did Gohan. Neither of them knew what to do. Ima was the next into the room. She was in her wedding dress, her hair still half in curlers and her make-up wasn't done. She too froze as she saw what was happening. She looked at the mirror. "Puchin..." she said gently, "No, that's impossible..."

"Ima, what do we do?" said Gohan as the others came running in.

"Keep Trunks and Goten out of here," said Ima, "I don't know what to do..." Puchin cackled and the energy net increased in intensity, causing Appura to convulse even more.

"We have to do something!" barked Vegeta.

"Dad..." croaked Appura from the floor. Vegeta looked down as Appura's eyes began to roll back into her head. Her mouth opened and a trickle of blood burst out. Vegeta couldn't help but remember the death of Future Trunks at Cell's hands...he'd be damned if he would watch two of his children die. He took a step forward. "Ah-ah-ahh," said Puchin, "I don't think so, Prince Vegeta, if either you or her whore-mother touch that net, you'll be joining her." He turned up the intensity a little more, causing Appura to spasm even more. Puchin cackled. "Ah, Priestess Ima, I hope you enjoy watching your daughter die like your sisters did," he added. Ima frowned and bared her teeth at the sorcerer.

"You son of a bitch! How fucking dare you!" she snarled.

"I dare because your family condoned that heathen practice of whoring their daughters to the Royal family and called it religion," said Puchin, "I hope you're happy to see your daughter die, looking like a whore."

"No!" cried Gohan. In a split second, he'd pushed past Vegeta and Ima, leapt over Appura and had grabbed the medicine cabinet that the mirror was mounted on. His body blocked the green energy that had been killing Appura, zapping him instead. Appura coughed and spluttered as Ima dropped to her knees next to her. Gohan felt his energy begin to drain and his muscles began to spasm out of his control. He struggled to maintain his grip on the cabinet as he tried to wrench it from the wall. "Boy! What the hell are you doing?" shouted Puchin. Gohan ignored the pain and the shouts and focussed solely on keeping his grip on the cabinet. He finally wrenched it from the wall and threw it to the floor, smashing the mirror. The green energy disappeared and Gohan fell to the floor, feeling drained. "Gohan, are you ok?" came Bulma's voice. Gohan turned and looked. He actually felt fine.

"Medical wing, everyone, now," said Bulma.

* * *

><p>Appura sat on the medical wing's bed, one leg crossed over the other, wearing her bath robe that someone had kindly retrieved from Gohan's room. Gohan was leaning out the window, having a sneaky smoke while his mother was out the room. Ima had finally been convinced to go finish getting ready with Chi-Chi as had Yamcha. Vegeta was leaning out the window with Gohan, also having a smoke to calm his frazzled nerves. Goku, Krillin and Piccolo, having already gotten ready, were there for no other reason than they were bored. "Now this is weird," said Bulma, reading the print-out from computer.<p>

"What's wrong?" asked Gohan, bringing his head back in but leaving his hand outside.

"Nothing, that's what's weird," said Bulma, "Everything has come back normal. Your vitals are all normal, slightly increased adrenaline in both of you. Appura shows no sign of internal bleeding. She's got a couple of hormones slightly elevated cos she's in heat..."

"Gee, thanks Bulma," said Appura, putting one hand over her eyes and flushing bright red.

"...Sorry, sweetheart," continued Bulma, "No signs of any trauma or anything with either of them. I know Saiyan's heal quick but this is like there was nothing wrong with them. I guess you're ok to go. Any questions?"

"Yeah, what do you mean Appura's in heat?" asked Gohan.

"Vegeta, I thought you were going to talk to him about that with Ima," said Bulma.

"It's on my to-do list," said Vegeta, looking over his shoulder from the window.

"You can train for eight hours a day but you can't find ten minutes to sit down with Gohan and give him an update on that Saiyan birds and the bees talk you gave him a couple of years ago?" said Bulma.

"What talk?" said Gohan.

"Vegeta!"

"It's on my to-do list, woman!"

* * *

><p>The actual ceremony was being held at Capsule Corp while the reception was being held at a hotel a few blocks away. Appura stood, looking out the window. A beautiful archway had been decorated with white flowers. An official was there to preside over the ceremony, several white chairs were stood facing the archway and people were starting to gather. On Yamcha's side were the Z fighters and their families. Piccolo was stood on top of Capsule Corp. On Ima's side were a lot of old friends from Satan City and a few people from West City Records. Yamcha was stood at the archway, chatting with Tien, clearly a bundle of nerves as he kept wringing his hands. Ima was pacing behind Goku and Appura, speaking on the phone in hushed tones. She was speaking to her old boss, the kind man who had taken care of Ima and Appura when they first arrived on earth.<p>

_Ima was looking out the window of her pod. A planet was coming up. She rested a hand on her swollen stomach. Maybe this would be a good place to stop and pick up some supplies. She may have been far beyond Freiza's grasp but she still didn't feel entirely safe. She felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen. She was out of time. She started punching buttons to land. She felt another sharp pain. "Oh you just have the best timing, little one," she grunted, as she finished putting in her trajectory. The pod swerved off towards the planet. _

_The landing was less than smooth and Ima could barely crawl out of the pod. She'd landed a safe distance away from city. Not too far away that she was too far from help but not too close that she landed on someone's home. She crawled out the crater, continuously stopping as another pain hit her. She then stumbled out towards the road. It was dangerous, it was night-time and the road was sparsely lit. Another pain hit and she doubled over. She was just standing up when a car came speeding down the road. The driver wasn't looking forward and it only just registered in his mind that a woman was standing in the road before he almost hit her. _

_Ima flung out her arms and stopped the car with her strength. The engine died just as her strongest contraction hit. She collapsed onto the road. The door opened and the driver clambered out. "Hey lady, are you ok?" he asked._

"_No, please, help," Ima grunted._

"_Holy shit! Are you having a baby?" Ima could only nod. The man panicked for a moment before realising there was a hospital just a couple of miles down the road. "C'mon, let's get you to a hospital," he said, helping her up and into his car. He quickly turned the car around and set off for the hospital. "What's your name?" he asked, looking over at the strange woman next to him._

"_Ima," she grunted as she tried to breathe deeply, "You?"_

"_Err. Mike," he said, "Where's the baby's dad?"_

"_Grr, far away from here but not far enough," said Ima as she tried to get comfortable before the next contraction hit. "Didn't end well between you guys, huh?" said Mike._

"_Didn't even start, he just got me pregnant," grunted Ima, "I had to get away from him."_

"_What about your parents? Any other friends and family?" asked Mike, scared that he was now responsible for this woman. "All dead," said Ima._

"_Oh, yeah, King Piccolo killed a lot of people," said Mike. Ima didn't register this. She didn't know who Piccolo was nor did she care. She just wanted to have her baby. Mike pulled in at the hospital. He helped Ima out the car and led her in, passing a young couple who were carrying their own child. Ima turned her head when she thought she saw a tail but passed it off as her imagination. "Can I get some help here?" Mike called. Two nurses ran over. One started to lead Ima to a seat. The other stayed with Mike. "Are you the father?" she asked. Mike shook his head._

"_I just found her out by the road," he said, "She says she's run from the father and she doesn't have any family left." The nurse nodded and scurried off to speak to the head nurse._

"_Mike!" called a voice. He looked up. It was Ima. _

"_Please, I'm scared," she said. Mike wanted to run. He didn't even know her. Why should he care about her and her baby? But he didn't run. Instead he sat down next to her. "Don't worry Ima," he said, "I'll stay right beside you for as long as I can." He took her hand._

"_Thanks Mike," she said as she patted her stomach, "From both of us."_

"_Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?" he asked. She shook her head._

"_I don't care," she said, "So long as they're healthy and don't take too much after their father."_

"_Where will you go afterwards?" asked Mike, "You look like you've been on the run for a while and you don't have any family." Ima just shrugged._

"_I dunno," she said, "I never thought this far ahead." Mike bit his lip and thought for a moment. Another contraction hit. Thankfully instead of squeezing his hand, Ima grabbed hold of the chair next to her. She let out a scream and pulled the chair up. Mike stared at her physical strength. That chair had been bolted to the floor! Then an idea hit him. "You know, if you want to, I have a place you can stay and a job for you if you don't mind heavy lifting," he said. Ima looked at him as she dropped the chair. "I need a warehouse worker," he said, "It's just stacking shelves but it's good money. I can also give you an apartment in the City in a block I own. My wife will watch the little one too."_

"_Won't she be watching your own children?" said Ima. Mike shook his head._

"_My wife and I...we can't have children," he said, "Lazy swimmers." He smiled painfully._

"_Thank you Mike," said Ima, "But...why?" She wasn't used to this sort of kindness._

"_I can't let a woman and her child live on the streets," he said._

Ima was on the phone with Mike right now. She'd worked with him for fifteen years before she and Appura had moved to West City. He'd promised he'd give her away but now, his wife was sick. He couldn't make it. She hung around and screamed through clenched teeth. "Mike's not coming is he?" said Appura. Ima shook her head. She flopped down onto a chair and put her head in her hands. She looked defeated. Appura smiled as an idea formed in her head. Mike was the closest man to family they had except for one. Appura ran outside, heading for where everyone was sat, heading for the row where the Briefs and Son families were sitting. "Everything ok, Appura?" asked Chi-Chi as she tried to wrestle Goten into sitting still.

"Minor technical hitch," said Appura, "Dad, I need your help." Vegeta didn't move.

"What?" he grunted.

"Dad, Mike can't make it, mom doesn't have anyone to give her away," said Appura.

"And that's my problem how?"

"C'mon, Dad, for once in your life stop being such an ass and do something nice for the woman who gave birth to your kid," said Appura. She was no longer afraid of him so she wasn't afraid to poke the bear once in a while. Vegeta sat stock still for a moment for getting to his feet and shuffling out the row. He didn't say a word; he just headed back to the house. Appura smiled and looked at Bulma who gave her the thumbs up. Appura quickly headed back to the house. "So I just have to escort you down the aisle to that moron?" she heard her father say as she walked in.

"Yes, Vegeta, and then you can go sit back down," replied Ima, "It's all ceremonial."

"I'd rather go back to training after but Bulma disconnected the gravity room," muttered Vegeta, "Fine! I'll do it."

"Thank you Vegeta," replied Ima. Appura smiled. It was nice to see her parents getting along.

"He really makes you happy?" asked Vegeta. Ima nodded.

"Not that I care," he quickly added.

"Sure sure Vegeta," said Ima as she checked her hair in the mirror. Goku smiled and started heading out to stand next to Yamcha as he was best man. Vegeta extended his left arm slightly and Ima linked hers with his. Appura smiled and took her place behind them. They started heading up the aisle with Appura just behind them. As they reached the end, Appura watched her father bend down and say something to her mother quietly. She couldn't hear it, but it made her mom smile.

* * *

><p>Yamcha couldn't help but stare at Ima. She looked beautiful. She wore a white dress that came down to her mid-calves with plain white shoes. She also wore a silver bridal jacket. She looked amazing, especially with the flowers that Bulma and Chi-Chi had woven into her hair. He barely registered when the official addressed him. Goku had to poke him in the shoulder so he could recite his vows. He stuttered a lot but he got them out. He could feel himself blushing deep red in front of her, especially when she recited her own perfectly. The official announced them as husband and wife. Yamcha smiled, stepped forward and kissed his new wife. Without a doubt, this was the happiest day of his life.<p>

* * *

><p>The group were just making their way to the front gates of Capsule Corp to head to the reception when a car sped past swiftly followed by a few police cars. Ima looked over her shoulder. Gohan and Appura were watching the cars go past with a look on their faces that clearly said they wanted to follow. "Go on you two, don't be too long," she said quietly and smiling.<p>

"You sure?" said Gohan. Ima nodded.

"Go on," said Yamcha, "Looks like fun."

"Yes," hissed Appura.

"Just be back for the first dance," said Ima. The two teens smiled and nodded. Bulma had tidied up Appura's Saruo costume and built it into a watch like she had for Gohan. The pair hurried away from the group, so as not to arouse suspicion.

Hidden out of sight, they pressed the buttons on their watches and instantly became the Great Saiyaman and Saruo. They took to the air, quickly catching up with the chase. "Ok, I'll stop the criminal, you slow down the cops so they don't cause an accident," said Gohan.

"Right!" said Appura. Gohan sped up and landed in road some way ahead of the speeding vehicle. People stopped and stared. The Great Saiyaman was a rare sight in West City. "Halt, criminal," he said, holding out one hand to stop the car. The criminals inside were so shocked, they slammed on the brakes. Saruo hadn't had chance to warn the police to slow down and were going to crash into the stopped vehicle. She quickly landed and stopped the first police car with her strength, crumpling the front of it, destroying the engine. The next two subsequently smashed into the first police car and shunted it and Saruo forward a few feet. Slightly dazed, the officers clambered out the cars. "Sorry about that!" she called over to them.

"Not a problem," said one of them, "Those men have just robbed West City's top jewellers, including some custom pieces that were made for Bulma Briefs herself!" Saruo hurried over to the criminal's car and ripped off one of the doors. Between her and the Great Saiyaman, they pulled all three criminals from the car and deposited them in the police cars that weren't totalled.

"Thank you Saiyaman and you too Saruo!" said one of the police officers.

"All in a day's work," said Saiyaman. Saruo sniggered.

"You sound so stupid with that voice," she said.

"Shut up," hissed Saiyaman, "Hadn't we better make a move? We're going to be late."

"Yes, something far scarier than fighting crime will be waiting for us if we're late," said Saruo.

"What's that?" asked the police officer.

"Our mothers," said Saruo and Saiyaman in unison.

* * *

><p>"So, you wanted to talk," said Ima, her arms folded as she stepped out of the hotel. Vegeta was watching for Gohan and Appura's return.<p>

"Yes, I want you to explain how the fuck Puchin is still alive," barked Vegeta, "He should have died the day our original homeworld was destroyed."

"Vegeta, I've told you everything I know," said Ima, "I told you, I was only a child when it happened. Most of what I know is what your own father told me. The only thing I remember clearly from that day was my father dying." Vegeta bowed his head.

"Someone, somewhere, has lied to us," he said softly, "I don't think the original Planet Vegeta was destroyed in civil war; I think we were forced from it and our elders lied to prevent us seeking revenge."

"Whatever, Vegeta," said Ima, "What's happened has happened, I suggest we move on." She began to head back inside.

"But, there could be more Saiyans out there," wondered Vegeta.

"And if there are, they are loyal to Kuda, not Vegeta," said Ima stiffly, "They made that clear when they started the war."

"But..."

"Now you listen to me, Vegeta," snapped Ima, turning to face the Saiyan Prince again, "I saw that war tear our people in two, I watched my sister's die in agony because some alien declared them whores and heathens...I watched my father die to protect yours...I don't wish to believe they are still alive...I am happiest with there only being four Saiyans left; me, you, Kakarot and Appura. I suggest you leave it alone." She promptly turned and headed back inside, her last memories of the planet she was born on flashing through her mind.

_Seventy years before..._

"_Come, Kabu, we must run!" bellowed King Vegeta as the pods began to take off behind him, making his red cape billow in the wind. The man he was shouting at was limping and carried a small girl in his arms. Vegeta rushed forward and took the girl from the man. "Kabu..." he started. The injured man pushed the King away. "No, my King," he said, "Leave me. I'll just slow you down, save my daughter, save Ima!"_

"_Papa!" cried Ima as she struggled to free herself from the King's grip._

"_Kabu..." said Vegeta once more._

"_No, my King! Save her, I could not save her sisters! Save my daughter!" barked Kabu, "I'll hold off Puchin and Kuda's men as long as I can. Take her, take my youngest and get her to safety." The King debated everything in his head as he looked down on High Priest Kabu. "Save her," said Kabu once again, "Save yourself." The King didn't argue anymore. He tightened his grip on the five-year old girl in his arms and ran for the remaining pods. "Papa!" Ima cried as she looked over the King's shoulder at her father. King Vegeta found an empty pod and climbed in, one arm still clamped around the struggling girl. He took one last look and saw Kabu, his trusted friend and advisor crumple to the ground before Puchin. The sorcerer's attention turned towards the last pod and he began shouting a curse. King Vegeta quickly slammed the pod door shut and switched on the engines, blasting him and the Priest's youngest daughter into space._

_Ima began to cry. The King just looked down at her, unsure what to do. He sighed and switched on the communication system. "Alright everyone, we managed to make it off the planet with minimal losses," he said as the other pods indicated they were listening, "Follow me. Time to find a new home." He plotted a course as far away from his home world as possible and fired the engines. The hundreds of thousands of other pods that had blasted into space from around the planet followed._

_The King sighed and leant back against the seat as the little girl in his lap sobbed. How had it come to this? He, the King, running from his own planet, in fear for his life. He looked down at Ima and reminded himself that Kuda had started all this and now, Vegeta's only responsibility was to those loyal to him. He would find them a home, even if it meant eradicating a whole other species._

* * *

><p>Gohan took a drag from his cigarette and looked up at the sky and the stars. He exhaled the grey smoke as the door behind him slammed shut. "My mother is never allowed to get drunk ever again," came Appura's voice. She sat down on the stone steps next to him, two half-drunk glasses of champagne in her hands.<p>

"Why? What did she do?" asked Gohan as he traded his cigarette for one of the glasses. Appura took a quick drag on the cigarette before answering. "

She's only decided to go and announce to everyone that she used to fool around with your uncle," she said, making Gohan choke on the champagne.

"What?" he croaked as he wiped his chin.

"Yeah, you and I, almost cousins," said Appura, knocking back the champagne in her glass, "Dad isn't helping. He just sits there, encouraging her. He's as wasted as she is." Gohan laughed. Vegeta had certainly been slurring his words a little but that wasn't surprising as they'd been drinking for a good eight or nine hours now. Yamcha was currently passed out in the honeymoon suite having been carried up there by Gohan and Goku an hour ago. Gohan and Appura were still sober having spent the rest of the day running around, attempting to keep Trunks and Goten in line. The pair were currently fast asleep, lying across some chairs, waiting to be taken home. Chi-Chi and Bulma were sitting at the bar, giggling as they compared husbands, Goku was finishing off the remnants of the buffet and Vegeta and Ima were just too wasted to do much except attempt to bitch at each other and fail miserably in their drunken stupor. All the other guests had either gone home or gone to their rooms in the hotel, including Chester, Appura's bi-sexual childhood friend, who had been very drunk when he left and kissed both Gohan and Appura on the lips as he went. Gohan and Appura were to take the boys back to Capsule Corp and stay there overnight.

There had only been one more hitch in the wedding, bringing the grand total to three. Chester's older brother, Lao, the man who had slept with Appura and then run away two years before had shown up. Vegeta had smashed three or four tables in an attempt to get to the man but had been too late. Appura had got there first and broken Lao's nose. Lao had quickly left, only stopping to call Vegeta and Appura 'psychos' before running away from the angry Saiyans.

Appura stubbed out the cigarette. "C'mon," she said, "You and I have some work to do before we can go home."

"Like what?" asked Gohan, thinking that now the wedding was over surely the work was too.

"Like, tearing your mom and my step-mom away from the bar, your dad away from the food and putting my parents in the correct rooms, and that's before we even speak to the hotel manager about the three urinals our fathers broke when they started fighting in the bathroom," said Appura standing up. Gohan sniggered and stood up to follow her. That had been a funny sight. Apparently, Vegeta hadn't taken kindly to Goku using the urinal right next to him and it had wound up becoming an all-out brawl.

* * *

><p>It was almost two in the morning before Gohan and Appura arrived back at Capsule Corp, each carrying their exhausted younger brother. The pair were happy with a job well done, all three sets of parents were asleep in the correct rooms with the correct partners and the hotel manager's palm had been greased sufficiently that all the staff who'd been kept up two hours longer than previously thought could be paid and all damages would be fixed with a little to spare. Appura led the way to Trunk's room and found a clear path from the door to the large bed amongst all the toys, half-finished puzzles and board games. She, rather unceremoniously, dropped her little brother onto the bed where he stretched, scratched his nose and rolled over, all without waking. Gohan, rather more gently, put Goten down next to his best friend. He turned around just in time to see his lover disappearing out the door. He smiled and followed her down the hallway to her room.<p>

Appura dropped onto the bed and kicked off her shoes. She looked beautiful in her silver knee-length bridesmaid dress. Her hair was fully-grown now, almost reaching her waist and identical to her mother's, making the two of them almost look like twins save for the light lines that creased the corners of Ima's eyes, showing her age. Appura reached up and grabbed Gohan's tie, pulling him down for a kiss. He ran his hands through her long hair, slowly extracting the white flower that was tucked behind her ear. "Gohan," she said softly, "I lo..." Gohan cut her off with a bruising kiss.

"Don't say it," he whispered against her lips, "Show me." Appura leant backwards onto the bed, pulling Gohan with her. He bent his head down and began kissing and licking the soft spot where her ear met her neck. Appura's hands snuck around his neck, holding him close as he gently used his knees to part hers and knelt between them. He gently nipped at her neck, making her moan gently and she returned the favour. He slid his hands around her hips and gripped her butt, pulling her hips closer to his. "You look beautiful," he whispered to her, "And all I wanted to do all day is kiss you, let people know you're mine..." He tried to stop himself from saying the last five words but a primitive part of his brain switched on whilst he was talking and wouldn't let the rational part control his mouth. Appura paused. "Yours?" she said. Gohan winced at her tone. She pulled her head back and looked at him. Gohan didn't know what to do. She still had her legs hooked over his hips and her hands on his neck so he wasn't sure she knew what she was going to do either. He just looked at her, hoping she didn't freak out too much. She looked at him for a moment before whispering, "What were those last two words?"

"You're mine?" he said cautiously. A feral smile crept across her face.

"Say it again," she said in a voice barely more than a growl.

"You're mine," Gohan said a little more confidently. He felt her move her hips against him and she reached up and kissed him.

"Say it again," she whispered against his lips as she began opening his shirt buttons.

"You're mine," Gohan said, reaching underneath her and unfastening her dress, "You're all mine. No other man can have you." She'd undone all his shirt buttons and his tie and was pushing them off along with his suit jacket. Her dress was now loose around her top half. He tightened his grip on her before flipping them over so she was on top, straddling him. She pulled her dress off so she was only in her underwear, the beautiful white corset with matching panties and stockings. She smiled as she felt Gohan harden beneath her as his eyes took her in. He shifted himself so he was sitting up and holding her against him. His hands slid over her buttocks and gripped them tightly, forcing her to move up and forward. His head ended up in her ample bust, not that he was complaining. He lavished attention on her breasts, kissing and nipping the soft flesh. Her hands were in his hair as he began to untie the white silk ribbons that fastened the corset.

Slowly, almost tortuously slowly, the corset started to slip from her body, exposing her to him. He pulled it away from her and it joined her dress and his shirt on the floor. He could tell she was very aroused. The first clue was the intense heat that his member was yearning to reach through his remaining clothing, the second was her breasts. Both had little hard nubs that were just begging for his attention. He gladly gave it, taking one in his mouth, eliciting a gasp from his beautiful Saiyan lover as he gently rolled it with his tongue. "Gohan," she moaned his name. He quickly silenced her with a kiss.

"Shhh, my love," he whispered, "We don't want to wake them." He lay back, pulling her with him. Her hands fumbled with his pants fastening. He smiled and whispered, "Impatient little Princess" to her mockingly as she finally got them open. Gohan wrapped his arms around her and rolled them so they were lying on the bed properly with him on top, careful not to kneel on her tail.

He quickly removed the last of his clothing before returning his attention back to the beautiful woman before him. He kissed her lips before trailing them down over her jaw, her neck, her chest, gently nuzzling her breasts as he went. He kissed her stomach and stopped just millimetres from her panties. "Gohan, why'd you stop?" she whimpered as she felt his hot breath on her skin.

"You're mine," Gohan said in a voice so low that Appura barely recognised it as his, "Do you understand what that means? If you ever go near another man, I'll rip his head from his shoulders and then I'll do the same to you." He surprised himself with the sudden surge of possessiveness he felt.

"I know," came Appura's response, surprising him even more, "I'm yours. All yours." Gohan reached up and gently stroked where her skin met the material of her panties with one finger from her hip to just below her navel then trailed downwards between her legs. She gasped and he kissed her thigh as he continued to caress her intimate area through her panties. "Gohan!" she moaned. The Hybrid smiled, deciding he'd tortured her enough. With one swift movement, he literally ripped the panties from her body, leaving her in just her stockings. He returned to kissing her neck as he rubbed himself against her heat, her legs involuntarily wrapping around his waist. "You're mine," he whispered in her ear and thrust himself into her. Appura bit her lip so as not to cry out. If Trunks and Goten discovered them, there would be hell to pay. Gohan's strong hands grabbed her arms and held them above her head as he began move against her, grunting as he did so.

Something was different tonight. Gohan was normally a very gentle lover but tonight...he was very animalistic and primal, very...Saiyan. His sharp canine teeth seemed to grow longer and scraped against the skin on her neck. "Mine," he kept grunting, "All mine." His pace picked up and he let go of her arms to support himself. Her hands roamed over his muscled back, her finger nails leaving red trails across his skin. Gohan could feel that familiar pressure growing in his groin and knew he was close. "Appura," he whispered against her neck before biting down hard on the delicate skin as he came, puncturing it and his tongue lapped up her bitter blood. A euphoric wave washed over him as he felt her bite his neck in the same place, breaking the skin and drawing blood. They lay that way for a while, legs and bodies still entwined, teeth still sunk into each other's skin until they each stopped bleeding and finally pulled away from each other. Gohan looked down at her, his woman, his prize. She licked away a stray few drops of blood that were stuck to her upper lip as she looked into his eyes. The marks on their necks were red and raw. They were perfect symmetry too. On the right hand side, just where the neck met the shoulder.

* * *

><p>Puchin smirked as he looked at the building from the other side of the chain link fence, the words 'Capsule Corporation' painted on the side. Perfect, the girl was mated. He could take out a couple of the others when he exacted his revenge on King Vegeta and the Temple of Thuranz. He walked six feet further down the fence, leaning on his staff. He couldn't actually enter the compound. The security was too strict and he couldn't risk being trapped in there should the Priestess or Prince return. He had hoped to take out the Priestess today but he had waited seventy years to kill her, a little while longer couldn't hurt. He extended his right hand toward the building, towards a fifth-storey window. The window belonging to the Princess Appura's room. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and imagined himself becoming one with the wind. He could see, even though his eyes were closed. He went to the window and peered in. The Princess lay asleep and smiling in the arms of the eldest half-breed son of some third-class dog, her mate. Oh, the Prince would be furious when he found out what they'd done and he would. But for now, Puchin would bide his time, allow Kuda to carry out his plan, and then, at their weakest moment, he would destroy Vegeta, Ima and Appura. The descendants of those who had defied his word.<p>

* * *

><p>The next morning, Appura craned her neck to get a better look at the mark on it in the mirror. Two perfect puncture marks on the right hand side, where her neck met her shoulder. The feminine meets the masculine if she quoted her mother's sex talk. Appura swallowed. This could cause some problems, mostly with her father but it was his own fault. He should have explained Saiyan mating habits to Gohan like Bulma had asked him to. Not that it would have changed what happened the night before. Even if her father had told him, Gohan would still have marked her. Saiyans fall hard and fast, but at least if he'd had The Talk, Appura would have been able to talk about it with him. As it stood, Gohan had no idea what he'd done and Appura was too shy to explain. She would just have to let nature take its course.<p>

She sighed and looked into the new mirror in her bathroom. She could see the TV on the dresser in her bedroom was switched on, meaning Gohan was awake. It was a news programme, featuring some Army General who was talking about the problems with vigilantes. She tore her eyes away from the TV reflection and looked at her own. She had to admit, she liked the way she looked in Gohan's t-shirt that bore the name 'Son Gohan' on it. She smiled. A picture of her and Gohan as the Great Saiyaman and Saruo appeared on the TV. They looked good together. She smiled even more. She was meant for him and him for her. Together, they could take on anything...except maybe her dad.

* * *

><p>AN: This is 15 ½ pages long! I can't believe it only took me three days to put together from various versions of this chapter I'd already written. I hope you guys enjoyed it!


	12. Chapter 12 Hell of a Day

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

A/N: I know, I'm a bad person, leaving you guys without an update for so long, bad Neonstar, very bad. *smacks self* I'm sorry but because I work in the pub trade, Christmas and New Year have been terribly busy for me, not to mention that my imagination keeps giving me new ideas for this story which mean almost weekly adjustments to the plot and subsequent anger when my ideas don't fit in with what I've written already. But anyway, here is the next chapter. Enjoy! Oh, an there's a couple of new pictures of Appura on my Deviant Art profile, see my profile for the link

Chapter 12

Hell of a day

"Appura! Concentrate!" Vegeta barked, making his daughter start slightly. She'd seemed distracted recently. Appura blinked and was promptly knocked off her feet by a ball of energy, thrown by Trunks. She coughed and spluttered as she lay on the ground, the wind knocked out of her. Vegeta strode over to her and pulled her up by her arm. "What the hell is the matter with you recently?" he snapped as she staggered slightly. She looked pale, her eyes closed. She looked like she was going to be sick. But that was not stopped Vegeta from his next sentence. He was too busy staring at where his own hand was wrapped around her wrist. He could feel Appura's ki but when he had touched her, he had become aware of something else. Appura's eyes opened and she looked at his hand, grasping her arm. She immediately yanked it from his grip and cradled it as if he had burnt her. She looked terrified. Vegeta had only seen her as scared as this once before, many years before. Appura backed away from him. Vegeta attempted to say her name but his voice died before he could say the first syllable. Appura's head was bowed; she was looking at the ground.

Trunks watched as his sister practically cowered away. "What did you do?" he cried. He loved the new found confidence his sister had and thought perhaps Vegeta had done something to strip it away from her, to bring her back down beneath his boot. Vegeta tried to defend himself but once again his voice failed. Trunks hurried over to Appura, attempting to pull her away from their father but as soon as his hand touched Appura's arm, he too fell into silence, stunned at learning the precious secret his sister had kept. Trunks did not allow Appura to pull herself away from him. Instead he moved his arms around her, hugging her for all he was worth. Vegeta chose that moment to move forward. His face did not hold its usual scowl, his whole face had relaxed into one of shock, his eyes wide, his mouth slightly ajar. He stopped mere inches from his children. His daughter, his beautiful young lady, she cast a quick glance at him and, not seeing anger, lifted her head towards him. Vegeta reached out and cupped her face with both hands, his eyes searching, searching for a reason. He found none and instead pulled her forward so she collided with his chest. One arm wrapping around her shoulders, the other around her head, gently cradling her as he had never done before. "I'm sorry, Daddy," she whimpered, "I'm so sorry." Vegeta did not say a word, nor did he move a muscle. He just stayed stock still, his arms around her. The back door opened and he sensed his wife and Ima running towards them, the scar-faced weakling just behind them. They had obviously seen what Vegeta was doing and knew it was out of character. Ima reached them first. As she neared, Vegeta dropped his arms and stepped away. It was best if her mother dealt with her for now. For a second Appura's arms stayed in place where she had wrapped them around her father and she silently pleaded for him to continue their embrace but Vegeta shook his head; there was something he needed to do.

Appura watched as Vegeta backed away from her. Her eyes watered. Deep down, Appura felt like a little girl again, a little girl who just wanted her Daddy to hug her and tell her everything was going to be alright. But she understood, she understood why Daddy couldn't do that right now...he had to go do something else, something to protect her and her best interests. He didn't want to...at this moment, he would gladly have run away from the whole situation or passed it completely off on her mother. But no, this was something he had to do. She felt her mother's arms enclose around her as her own fell to her side. She heard her mother's shocked gasp.

Vegeta turned slowly, turning his back on the scene behind him as Yamcha too touched Appura's arm and quickly turned to whisper to Bulma. Trunks still had both arms around his sister's waist. He strode a few feet more before his feet left the ground and he took to the air, heading east, heading to Mt. Paozu.

The Son family were just sitting down to dinner. Goku scooped a large helping of rice onto his plate and was just handing it over to Gohan when all three of the males looked up. Chi-Chi blinked and looked at them as, in unison, their heads turned and looked over at the door that led outside. Time seemed to slow down as the door swung open to reveal Vegeta. The Prince didn't seem like his normal self, something was off about him. Goku sat stock still as did Goten. Gohan staggered to his feet as the Prince's gaze fell on him. In a matter of seconds, Vegeta was before him and a second later, he had the much taller Hybrid pinned against the wall. Vegeta had yet to say a word, but his eyes screamed at Gohan. Screamed that the boy had done wrong.

Vegeta held Gohan against the wall with one hand whilst his other balled into a fist. Gohan's eyes widened. Before anyone could move to help him, Vegeta's fist had collided with the Hybrid's face, sending him flying cross the room and out into the hallway. Chi-Chi screamed as Goku leapt over the table and grabbed hold of Vegeta before the angry Saiyan Prince could attack Gohan again. Goten remained rooted to the spot as Gohan slowly sat up. "Vegeta, what the hell is your problem?" Goku shouted as Vegeta snarled and hissed at Gohan. Vegeta looked over his shoulder at Goku before looking back at Gohan. His famous scowl returned to his face as he glared down at the eighteen year old boy on the floor, his ears filled with Chi-Chi's whimpers. "Appura's pregnant," Vegeta said flatly.

Appura was sat on the floor in her room, her knees drawn up and her head resting on them. Her tears had stopped some forty-five minutes before. She could hear her mother, Bulma and Yamcha talking downstairs. They'd been discussing it amongst themselves since they had found out; no one was quite sure how to talk to her about it. Appura was able to pick out various words and phrases as they talked; 'Gohan', 'College', 'his life', 'her career' and 'ruined'. Appura's stomach twisted into an angry knot. She didn't agree, she didn't see this child, her child, their child, ruining anything...instead she saw the last two Saiyan families joined forever by blood. There was a cry of alarm from Bulma and her father's voice and Goku's joined the conversation. She heard footsteps leaving the room and heading up the stairs.

Appura lifted her head as a shadow appeared in the crack between her door and her floor. The door slid open and in the door way, he stood. Her hero. Appura paused for a second before hauling herself off the floor and throwing herself into Gohan's arms. His eyes were as red as hers and held the same fear and confusion she was sure hers held. His strong arms wrapped themselves around her body and held her against her chest. Appura felt fresh tears form in her eyes and she buried her face in his shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me?" he spoke first, his voice hoarse. Appura sobbed.

"I'm sorry, Gohan, I'm so sorry," she gasped in between sobs, "I was scared." He fingers clawed at his white shirt as if she were afraid he'd try to leave now she had openly admitted what she had been trying to deny to herself for the last few weeks. "Babe, it's ok," he whispered, "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere, I promise." One hand rose up and rested itself upon her head, gently rubbing her soft hair. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "I'm not going anywhere," he whispered. Appura sobbed again, now completely hiding her face in his chest. Her tail rose up and encircled the closest of his wrists, determined to not let him disappear.

Goku watched as Ima and Vegeta verbally sparred over the kitchen table, words of hate and venom spewing from their mouths. The pair did not care for each other. Over the last half an hour it had become abundantly clear that they merely tolerated each other for Appura's sake and even now, the mutual truce was wearing thin. Stories and accusations of abuse on both sides had erupted. Everything from Vegeta kicking Ima down the hall way to Ima throwing Vegeta through a TV set all whilst Appura watched had emerged for the deepest, darkest depths of their memories. Finally, even Goku could take it no more.

"Enough!" he bellowed, banging his fists on the table as his hair and eyes changed colour. The table cracked under the force and Bulma and Yamcha jumped. They had remained outside the argument. They had no blood-claim in this. These were not their biological children that were being discussed and as such, they were not sure of their place in this. Ima and Vegeta turned and stared at the Super Saiyan sitting at the end of the table. "These arguments are not going to solve anything," Goku said, staring at his fists, "Look, Gohan and Appura made a mistake, something somewhere didn't work like it was supposed to and now there is a child involved. Ima, I understand what you mean when you say they are just kids themselves and Vegeta, I can assure you my son will not run away from his responsibilities. They are so much more mature than we give them credit for...I had the opportunity to watch Appura work when I was training her. She threw a hundred percent into every task I set her as well as her career. I'm certain she'll do the same with this. And Gohan. Gohan helped Chi-Chi raise Goten, he is so much more mature than either of us were when he was born...the mistake has been made, we just have to let them get on with it and help when they ask for it."

"Kakarot..." Ima started.

"Ima," said Goku firmly as his hair and eyes regained their normal colour, "What's done is done. We need to step back and let them go forward on their own." The Priestess and the Prince looked down at him in disbelief.

"Are you suggesting we do nothing?" barked Vegeta.

"Not until they ask," said Goku firmly, "Gohan should probably stay here tonight. I'll fetch him tomorrow. See you guys then." He stood up sharply, knocking his chair over. He raised his hand and a second later he was gone.

Gohan lay perfectly still, Appura asleep in the crook of his arm, her head resting on his shoulder. He looked down at her. Sleep eluded him. His mind was racing with the events of the last few hours. Appura shifted in her sleep and one arm crept across his bare chest, as if making sure he was still there. He was going to be a father. He could feel the ki of his child whenever he touched Appura's bare skin. It surrounded him, pressed down on him, he felt like he was suffocating under an immense pressure. He'd never felt so scared in his life...not even when he'd faced Cell. His mouth felt dry and his mind felt clouded. He needed some air. He gently disentangled himself from Appura's limbs. He held his breath as she stirred slightly but settled back down into sleep. He quickly retrieved his cloths and dressed. He stepped out onto Appura's balcony, instantly feeling better as the cold air hit his face. He looked out over West City. It was a Friday night and lights still shone in the city centre as people the same age as he went out and partied the night away. Gohan had never been one for partying but tonight all he wanted to do was go out and see what he'd been missing. Without even thinking about it, he put one foot on the railing and a second later had launched himself off the side and had landed with perfect grace on the front lawn, heading off into the city. Meanwhile, up on the fifth floor, five doors to the left of Appura's, Vegeta stood on the balcony, a lit cigarette in his hand, watching as Gohan scurried into the night.

Gohan found a relatively quiet bar and sat himself down. "What'll it be?" asked the barman.

"What do you recommend for a guy who just found out his girlfriend's pregnant?" asked Gohan quietly, not looking up.

"Oh, ouch," said the barman, "Two fingers of whiskey it is." He grabbed a glass and poured some amber-coloured liquid into it before passing it to Gohan who gladly handed over some money before taking a sip. It burned his throat a little as it slid down. Gohan put his head on the bar and tried to make sense of what was happening to him. "How much has he had?" a voice said.

"It's not the drink," replied the barman, "Apparently his girlfriend's pregnant...poor guy, doesn't look much older than nineteen."

"Eighteen," Gohan said, "I'm eighteen."

"Jeez, bet she's your first as well," said the first voice. Gohan raised his head and saw a man in a shirt and tie had joined the barman, obviously some management type who'd spotted Gohan put his head down and thought him to be a drunk. Gohan shook his head.

"No, second," he muttered.

"That still sucks though," said the barman, "But hell, I've been there. I was only just nineteen when my wife got pregnant, and you know what, I wouldn't change it. Money was tight for a while, but when I get home tomorrow morning, my little girl will give me the biggest smile in the world and say 'I love you, Daddy', makes it worth the ten hour shifts." Gohan looked up at the barman. He didn't look much older than Gohan. "Gohan," he said, extending a hand.

"Jinx," said the barman, shaking Gohan's hand. He suddenly dropped it and stood up straight, looking behind Gohan. "Usual?" he said.

"Two," replied a voice. Gohan looked over his shoulder and spotted Vegeta stood behind him. Gohan swallowed nervously as Vegeta sat down beside him and paid Jinx for the two drinks.

"Running away won't solve your problem," said Vegeta, quickly knocking back his drink.

"I wasn't running away," Gohan said defensively, "I was just..." He trailed off. Truth be told he had no idea what he hoped to achieve tonight. "Relax," said Vegeta, nudging the drink towards Gohan. Gohan eyed the drink cautiously and then looked at Vegeta.

"Why are you doing this?" Gohan asked.

"Because the woman you got pregnant is my daughter," said Vegeta, "And I'm betting you feel just as shit-sacred as I did nine years ago."

"Vegeta, I am scared," said Gohan, "In fact, I'm terrified. I've never been this scared...I'm responsible for another being's existence. I'm gonna be a Dad."

"You'll be fine," said Vegeta, "She wouldn't have chosen you as her mate otherwise." Gohan instinctively reached up and rubbed the right-hand side of his neck.

"You think the pair of you could suddenly start sporting matching bite-marks and I wouldn't notice?" Vegeta chuckled, "Believe it or not, I do pay attention every now and then, don't I Appura?"

"Yeah," said Appura's voice on Gohan's other side. Gohan swivelled his head and saw Appura. She was dressed in skinny jeans, black boots, a white t-shirt and a mid-thigh length black leather coat. In her hand she held what looked like a lime and soda. She sat down next to Gohan as Vegeta downed the last of his drink and put the glass back on the bar. "Don't stay out too late," he said as he got up and left. Gohan didn't hear him, he was too busy staring at his mate.

"What are you doing here? You should be asleep," he said. Appura shrugged.

"It's impossible to sleep when your head is all over the place," she said, "I guess I should talk to you about this." She trailed a finger over the bite mark on Gohan's neck.

"It's a Saiyan mating mark," said Gohan, "A physical sign of an emotional bond. I know. I, err, tapped into the database from your Dad's pod a few years back."

"Oh good, he was worried he'd have to give you the birds and the bees," laughed Appura.

"Yeah, well, I was curious about a mark I'd seen on Bulma's neck," said Gohan.

"Gohan, if it makes you feel better, I'm scared about this too," said Appura, smiling sweetly at him. It did, knowing they were going into this together.

"Well, we have six, seven months to get over it," he grinned, "I'm a little excited."

"Me too," said Appura, "I love you."

"I love you too," Gohan replied, leaning forward and kissing her. He felt that tingle of electricity he'd felt the first time he'd touched her.

"Hello Daddy," Appura joked.

"Goodnight Mommy," Gohan replied, smiling.

"Where've you been?" came a sleepy voice as Vegeta slipped into the bedroom.

"Nowhere important," he whispered gently, hoping his wife would slip back into slumber.

"Hell of a day, huh?" she said as he tugged off his boots, "You're going to be a grandfather." Vegeta stopped in his actions. In everything that had happened, that thought hadn't occurred to him. He resumed stripping for bed before climbing into bed next to Bulma. She was lying on her side, facing away from him. He gently nuzzled her neck. "Goodnight Grandpa," she yawned. Vegeta smirked and settled down. He waited until he knew she was on the verge of sleep before muttering, "Goodnight Grandma."


	13. Chapter 13 Something In The Air

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z

A/N: I would like to apologise once again for the long gaps between chapters. My laptop has been overheating a lot recently and so I've had to rest it before resuming my usual furious typing. That and I'm off on vacation to France soon and don't know if I'm taking said laptop with me. Anyway, enjoy!

**Chapter 13**

**Something in the air**

Gohan grunted as he hauled the crumpled wreckage of an engine onto the metal table in the lab, smearing grease and engine oil over his shirt. "Thanks Gohan," said Bulma as she perused the outside of the exploded engine, "I'm sorry to keep you so late."

"It's ok," said Gohan as he looked at his hands that were also covered in grease and wiped them on his shirt.

"It's so nice to have a Saiyan around to do the heavy lifting," Bulma said softly, "Not that that's the reason I hired you." Bulma shifted her gaze from the tangled machinery to the young man's face. She'd damn near dropped dead at the sight of Gohan sat with all the other hopefuls from various colleges applying for the five spots on the Capsule Corp Future of Science Internship Programme. When she had finally regained her voice and senses, she had dragged him into her office and berated him for a full five minutes about how if he'd wanted a job, all he'd had to do was ask. Gohan had done nothing but look at his feet the whole time Bulma had been raging at him. He'd felt so utterly lost and helpless in the week following the revelation that Appura was pregnant. But then his professor at college had announced the programme to the class, it had made sense to Gohan to go and apply. He could continue his studies, earn some money and be closer to Appura whilst she was pregnant.

Upon discovering him waiting for his interview, Bulma had told him there was no way he was going to slog away for the shocking pay that the internship offered, which was really little more than living expenses. She instead gave him an engineering job, something she hinted she'd been training him for since he was eleven. He still attended the same classes at West City College as the other interns but he worked longer hours with Bulma for far better pay. He also wasn't relegated to the dismal housing the other students were. Instead he stayed with Appura, who had moved into Capsule Corp permanently. Appura's move had come about following her mother moving in with Yamcha on the far side of the city. Capsule Corp was much closer to Ima and Yamcha's apartment than Appura's old house which Appura hated rattling around on her own in.

Appura's pregnancy was still a subject of media speculation, but as she was beginning to show as the baby's growth accelerated, she knew she couldn't keep it a secret much longer. A faint smile spread across his face. There was nothing more he liked more than slipping into bed with Appura and resting one hand over her small bump, feeling his child's ki spike at the touch. He'd become quite familiar with how quickly Saiyan pregnancies developed. The child would look like a full-term human at just six months of development.

Gohan returned his attention to the engine, the offending item that kept him from his mate. It was from a new prototype motorcycle. It had run beautifully for thirty seconds before exploding, sending him flying across the room albeit unscathed. Bulma rubbed her forehead and looked at the twisted hunk of metal. "This is ridiculous," she said, "This is the third night this week I've missed putting Trunks to bed and Appura's probably asleep as well."

"Who's been putting Trunks to bed?" asked Gohan.

"Appura and my mother," said Bulma, "Last time I asked Vegeta to make sure Trunks had a bath, he took him out in the yard and turned the hose on him. Trunks thought it was fantastic. My mother's geraniums begged to differ." Gohan chuckled.

"Look, honey, I think we should leave this for tonight," said Bulma, "We'll pick it up tomorrow. I'd like to go to sleep before four in the morning. Which, even now, is unlikely. Vegeta will wake me up when he gets back."

"Why? Where does he disappear to?" asked Gohan as Bulma threw a tarp over the wrecked engine.

"He's been scouring the city, looking for Puchin," replied Bulma, "It's like he's obsessed."

"What's the deal with this Puchin guy?" asked Gohan, "Why has he got Vegeta all riled up?"

"I dunno," said Bulma as they headed for the door, "From what little he's told me, all I know is he played some part in forcing the Saiyans into Freiza's empire, but that's all I know. Vegeta won't talk about it and Ima clams up when you mention Puchin's name. So anyway, ever since Ima and Yamcha's wedding, he's been..."

Bulma stopped when she ran into Gohan's back halfway up the stairs that led from the underground lab to the fresh air above. She stumbled and nearly fell backwards but Gohan grabbed her wrist, stopping her from falling down the stairs. He yanked her back up so she was upright. Bulma didn't dare say a word. She could just about see Gohan's face in the darkness and knew the look that he was wearing from experience. It was the look all the Saiyan's wore when something was wrong. She'd seen it on Gohan's face before, the night Appura's home had been broken into. Gohan let go of her wrist and slowly edged up the stairs, Bulma was close behind.

As his head broke up onto the surface, he paused again. Bulma waited patiently behind him. She saw his nostrils flare and his nose twitch. It really was fascinating to watch the Saiyans when they were running solely on their primal instincts. Scary, but fascinating all the same. "Stay down," rumbled Gohan's voice, inexplicably low, "Stay down and out of sight." Bulma crouched down so she was lying on the stairs. She knew better than to argue with them. This primal side, the side she loved to observe so much, only came out in times of absolute danger, allowing them to access their heightened senses more easily. "Three," muttered Gohan, "There's three of them...Appura can sense them...she's scared." His face looked strained. Bulma knew he was fighting against his instincts, seeking her advice on what to do. "Go," she whispered. No sooner had she spoken than Gohan vanished, moving swiftly across the compound towards the main house. Bulma stayed prone on the stairs. She heard the sound of the door being wrenched from the wall but after that came nothing but silence. Then a yell, the smashing of glass, the thud of something hitting the ground, then two more than silence once more. The lights around the compound flickered on and a second later, a shadow covered her. She looked up. She saw her husband's profile, surrounded by the light. She exhaled the breath she hadn't even known she was holding in before clambering to her feet.

* * *

><p>Bulma took another look at her step-daughter and quickly put another teaspoon of sugar into the strong cup of tea she was brewing. Appura was sat rigidly at the kitchen table, her eyes wide, her hands splayed across the surface of the table. The blood on her knuckles was dry now. "Appura, honey," Bulma said softly, putting a gentle hand on Appura's shoulder. Appura flinched and looked at Bulma. "Here," said Bulma, pushing the tea towards Appura's hands, "It'll help." The sounds of Gohan and Vegeta shouting in the next room were barely muffled by the two doors. Appura grasped the tea with one hand and gently rubbed her bump with the other. She took a gulp of tea. "I...I've never actually attacked anyone before, not like this," she said quietly, so quiet in fact that Bulma could barely hear her.<p>

"It was so strange and yet it felt so normal," Appura continued, "To hit that...that thing and send it through the window." Her eyes flashed dark. "It felt good," She muttered before sipping her tea again. Bulma took a deep breath and sat down, observing the young woman before her. Neither Gohan nor Vegeta seemed to have grasped the fact that Appura, alone, had fought off three strange house invaders by herself, sending them through a bullet-proof glass window. The three invaders had since vanished without a trace which is why Gohan and Vegeta were arguing. They were each blaming the other for leaving the house unguarded. Bulma couldn't help but think they were missing the bigger picture. Appura's Saiyan nature had been awakened, just as she was pregnant, a state that would make her naturally defensive of herself...Bulma swallowed when she realised that, at this moment, Appura was potentially more dangerous than Vegeta or Goku.

* * *

><p>Appura sat on the stairs with Trunks, watching as Bulma worked away. Gohan was off visiting his parents as Bulma had unexpectedly given him the day off. Vegeta was...well, no one knew where he'd disappeared to but he wasn't around. Bulma had her work tablet hooked up to the internal communication system, or Isis as Bulma had christened it however many years ago she had installed it. The system was older than Trunks at least. It went throughout the main house and was hooked up to CCTV cameras so you could see and talk to another person in any room in the main house.<p>

Appura's mind began to wander slightly. She wondered what exactly Gohan was up to. He had said something about going into Satan City and seeing some school friends. Her phone ringing distracted her and she heaved herself from her seat on the stairs to answer it, Trunks at her heels.

* * *

><p>Gohan threw back his head and laughed as Sharpner flushed red. Erasa just blinked, completely oblivious to what she had done that was so funny. "So," said Videl, changing the subject to save what was left of Sharpner's dignity, "What's this I hear about you moving to West City?" Gohan stopped laughing and blinked.<p>

"How did you know about that?" Gohan asked.

"Your mom, I rang the house last week to speak to you," said Videl.

"What did she tell you?"

"That you had a job at Capsule Corp and were living there now," said Videl before sipping her tea, still scrutinizing Gohan over the rim of the cup.

"Oh my gosh! Living at Capsule Corp, that must be so cool!" said Erasa, "I heard Apple Vee moved in there. Apparently Bulma's her aunt or something..."

"Step-mom actually," said Gohan, staring down at his drink, "Bulma's husband is Apple's dad."

"Wow, you must hang out with her all the time!" said Erasa, practically bouncing in her seat, "I knew you guys knew each other because she played at our prom." Videl had put her cup down and was leaning back in her seat, still watching Gohan. His cheeks flushed red when he realised that three pairs of eyes were watching him. Erasa was still babbling away.

"Oh, and I've heard rumours that she's pregnant! Can you believe that! She's our age," she babbled, "I wonder if it's true! Who could the father be? Do you think it could be that Johnny Deep guy? Y'know, he was in Die Tough 5 recently, he's a hottie! I wonder what the baby would look like? Oh! It'd be so cute if it had Apple's hair, oh and her eyes! She's got such lovely blue eyes! Oh and if it's a girl, I hope it gets her physique."

"Oh, I think any kid Apple Vee has is gonna look kinda like Gohan here," said Videl slyly. Gohan's head snapped up and stared at her.

"You know?" he said in disbelief.

"Your mom is so proud of her ickle boy getting his girlfriend pregnant!" Videl laughed. Gohan slammed his forehead down on the table and groaned, praying for the ground to swallow him whole. "I can't believe she told you!" he moaned, "She knows she 's supposed to keep it a secret!"

"So it's true," squealed Erasa, "Apple Vee is having a baby!"

"Keep your voice down!" hissed Gohan at the blond girl as people began to turn around.

"Look, she doesn't want to go public with it yet, not with her contract at West City Records up for renewal," he continued, watching as other people turned back to their own friends. Erasa mimed sealing her lips.

"Thanks," said Gohan before putting his head back on the table.

"So how did you find out?" asked Videl.

"When Vegeta punched me in the face, I kinda guessed I was in trouble," Gohan said.

"Vegeta?" asked Sharpner.

"Short angry guy," elaborated Videl.

* * *

><p>Gohan stretched his arms over his head as he walked through the front door of the main house later that day. He hung his jacket up on the rack and then looked around. The house was unusually quiet. "Hello?" he called out, "Bulma? Trunks? Appura? I'm home." He walked down the main corridor, heading towards the main living room. As he got closer, he could hear someone crying. He pushed the door open and peered in. Appura was sat, cross-legged, on the sofa, sobbing quietly. "Hey, what's wrong?" he said, entering the room and heading towards her. Appura looked up at him, her eyes starting to get red and puffy. He sat down next to her and put an arm around her.<p>

"We've got a leak," she mumbled through her tears, "Someone's gone to the media about me being pregnant. Bulma's gone nuts." She pointed at a newspaper in front of her. It was open on the celebrity gossip page. Gohan picked it up and examined it. He quickly found why Bulma was so pissed. After quickly recapping Appura's recent move to Capsule Corp and the rumour mill's reasoning for it, it quickly moved on to stating that a Capsule Corp employee had confirmed that Appura had moved in because she was pregnant. "Dad was furious too," sobbed Appura, "Bulma made him take Trunks out so he didn't blow a hole in the side of the house. She's trying to find out who did this."

"Well, it's not that bad, we were going to go public after your next scan anyway," Gohan said, trying to be comforting.

"It's not just that," Appura said, leaning onto Gohan, "I hadn't told anyone at West City Records yet. They found out this morning from the paper...I got a phone call. Apparently, my recent behaviour, meaning my decision to learn martial arts, start dating you and now being pregnant, is 'not conducive to the image they wish to represent and, as such, they will not be renewing my contract'." Gohan paused for a moment.

"They fired you for being pregnant?" he said.

"No, Bulma was straight on the phone to her legal team when she heard that," said Appura, wiping her nose on a tissue, "Apparently they are within their rights to not renew my contract if they believe I'm not conforming to the image they want to put out. Gohan, my chief demographic was 11-to-18 year olds...me getting involved in fighting and getting pregnant makes me a bad role model apparently. Hell, Rick says he even got a couple of angry phone calls from people saying they shouldn't be selling my music to kids because I'm a bad person." She erupted into fresh sobs. Gohan wrapped both arms tighter around Appura.

"Ignore them, babe," he whispered gently to her, "They're clearly busybodies with too much time on their hands. You are one of the sweetest, most responsible people I know. It doesn't matter what other people think about you, you are perfect to me." He smiled down at her. Appura couldn't help but smile back.

"Thanks Gohan, you always make me feel better," Appura said, resting her head on his chest.

"Hey, that's what I'm here for," Gohan said smiling still. He could feel her belly resting against his thigh. The ki was slightly stronger than it was that morning.


	14. Chapter 14 Farewell Ima

**Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z**

**A/N: I'm sorry! I know, I'm a very bad person! I've been struggling to write as my laptop has near enough died. I keep getting the blue screen of death so I've been forced to buy a new one which will mean I have to work more in order to pay for it but at least I'll be able to write for more than an hour at a time. Anyway, here's another chapter, enjoy!**

**Chapter 14**

**Farwell Ima**

Appura sighed in defeat as she finally gave up trying to reach her glass of water. She was going to have to get up off the sofa. She shifted herself forward a couple of inches and was just raising herself off the sofa when the door opened. "Appura, Gohan said you're not supposed to stretch yourself so much!" cried Goten. Appura groaned and slumped back into the cushions. She'd reached her seventh month of pregnancy. Ten weeks left to go. And she was HUGE! Goten handed her the glass. "Thanks, kiddo," she muttered.

"You seem upset," Goten said, clambering onto the sofa next to her.

"I'm upset with your brother for doing this to me," said Appura, rubbing her bump with one hand, her new engagement ring glinting on her ring finger.

"But, you're going to have a baby," said Goten, putting his own hand on her belly, "That's good right? You and Gohan will be happy. Babies make people happy." Appura chuckled under her breath at Goten's logic.

"I'm not unhappy because I'm having a baby," She said gently, "I'm just tired of being pregnant. I just want to hold my baby in my arms." Goten looked up at her. Appura bit her lip.

"And I'm sure he wants a cuddle with his uncle Goten too," she smiled. Goten smiled.

"C'mon, Gohan sent me to find you, everyone's starting to get here," he said, sliding back off the sofa and taking her hand. With his help, Appura hauled herself off the sofa and followed him to the Son family home's backyard where Goku was busy lighting the BBQ. The last few months had rolled by quickly. Appura had found herself too busy preparing for the baby. Decorating the nursery, putting the crib together, shopping for clothes and a stroller. She'd ended up putting the crib together herself as Gohan and her father had made three attempts at it and had just ended up arguing. But it was over and done with. The nursery was ready. All they had to do now was wait the final ten weeks and he would arrive. Yes, it was a boy. The only thing Vegeta had been interested in was the gender. Appura had settled on the name Kabu, her grandfather's name, for her son...not that she had told Gohan yet. She was distracted from her thoughts when she saw Gohan. He was stacking up firewood for the bonfire later. He smiled at her. In the last couple of months they hadn't had much time for each other with him working with Bulma and herself being occupied preparing for the baby.

But his proposal last week had reminded her that he still thought about her. He had even arranged for everyone to be out the house so that when she came home from her shopping, laden with bags, she had been shocked to find him in the kitchen, a candlelit dinner for two on the table. A small box, gift-wrapped waiting on her plate. She smiled at the memory as Gohan strode up to her and kissed her cheek. Her arms automatically cradled her bump. Gohan put a hand on her belly and received a swift kick from his son. He smiled down at her. "You ok?" he asked gently.

"Aside from looking like Yajirobe," replied Appura.

"You don't look like Yajirobe!" Gohan chuckled. Appura couldn't help but laugh as well. Another kick from their son made her flinch. "Ugh," she groaned, "The sooner he's out the better." Gohan opened his mouth to say something but was distracted by the sound of the others arriving. "Happy birthday Gohan!" called Krillin. Gohan just grinned at Appura before turning to greet his guests.

* * *

><p>"So Appura, not long left now, huh?" Appura jumped and turned to look at 18. She shook her head in response.<p>

"Ten weeks," she said quietly before turning back to watch Gohan play-sparring with Trunks and Goten. 18 sat down next to the Saiyan princess. "What's up?" she asked. Appura looked at her through the corner of her eyes. "I'm scared," Appura replied, "For a while it felt like Gohan and I were drifting apart..and I...I kept remembering what my dad said to me."

"What did Vegeta say?"

"That I could never trust Gohan with my heart..." Appura muttered, "He may be half-Saiyan but he's also half-Human and they...don't fall in love the same way Saiyan's do. He pointed out what happened between Gohan and Videl...and I..."

"How do Saiyans fall in love?" 18 interrupted.

"Once, only ever once..." said Appura, "But Gohan did love Videl...and then he fell in love with me...I don't know...it's stupid."

"It's not," said 18, looking down at the young woman next to her, "Look, it's true Gohan loved Videl and now he loves you, but you two have cemented your future together, you're engaged, you're having a baby...that may not mean much to Humans but if what you say about Saiyans is true, Gohan will never leave you if he has a choice."

"Thanks 18, I think," said Appura, turning back to watch her mate, unsure whether 18 had meant to comfort her or not.

"Just ignore your dad, he's an idiot," replied 18. Appura chuckled but soon trailed off as she and the other warriors started to look north where a huge ki had suddenly appeared.

"Who the hell is that?" Appura asked.

"I don't know," said 18, leaping to her feet and racing over to Krillin. Appura struggled to her feet and raced to Gohan as fast as she could.

"Do you feel that?" she asked. Gohan nodded, wrapping one arm around her shoulders.

"I think we should investigate," said Vegeta, "Whoever it is, they are clearly trying to get our intention. Appura, stay here." Appura was about to answer when Gohan spoke.

"Uh-uh," he said, "I'm not leaving her here where I can't protect her."

"You are seriously suggesting we bring along a woman who is six months pregnant?" barked Vegeta.

"Appura's not stupid, and she can still fly quickly," said Gohan, "If she needs to hide..."

"Fine, she will be your wife soon enough," Vegeta snapped, "If anything happens to her, on your head be it." Gohan kept his face neutral. He hadn't missed the fact that in the last year or so Vegeta had begun slipping back into the old heartless prince facade more and more, especially around Ima and Appura. "Vegeta, stop being such an ass!" snarled Ima, "If Appura wants to come with us, she can. She's an adult now, she can do what she damn well pleases." Vegeta winced and turned away from them. Ima was glaring at the back of his head angrily. "C'mon, let's go," said Goku, breaking the silence that had fallen, "We need to find out who this power belongs to."

One by one, the Z fighters took off, leaving Yamcha, Chi-Chi, Bulma and Marron behind. Vegeta was way out in front of everyone with Goku behind him. Gohan sped up to him, leaving Appura with her mother. "Dad, do...do you think I made a wrong decision, bringing Appura?" he asked.

"You didn't force her to come, son," replied his father, "She wanted to come, and no one could have stopped her. Relax, you're right, she can still fly faster than any of us if she wants to." Gohan smiled faintly. "So, tell me what you think about this power? Ever felt anything like it?" Goku asked.

"It...it feels a bit like Freiza...but also a bit like Cell...it's weird," said Gohan.

"It's coming from the Northern mountains," said Goku, "Well away from civilisation...something about this doesn't feel right, son." Gohan swallowed nervously.

"If anything should happen, Gohan, the first thing I'll do is get Appura back home," said Goku, "Can I count on you to distract whoever it is?" Gohan nodded.

"You can count on me, Dad," he said.

"Hey, Vegeta!" Goku yelled, "What about you?"

"Kakarot, I don't give a rats ass...but if a distraction is what you need, I'll be more than happy to pummel someone into a pulp," Vegeta yelled back, making Goku chuckle.

* * *

><p>It was still bitterly cold in the Northern mountains despite the fact that summer was just around the corner. The Saiyans didn't feel it, running on a slightly higher temperature than humans. They had landed some distance away from where they had felt the power coming from so as to sneak up on whoever it was. It was just over a ridge less than a mile away. Goku and Vegeta didn't wait for the others and headed straight for the ridge. Gohan and Ima helped Appura along as her distended stomach kept her from maintaining her normal speed whilst on solid ground. They slowly made their way to the top of the ridge and looked down. There was a spherical white pod in the middle of a crater and then some twenty yards away from that was a white cube that shook and spluttered. Goku was quickly moving his head from looking at the sphere to the cube. "But...the ki we sensed..."<p>

"Kakarot, the ki we sensed was coming from that piece of machinery," Vegeta stated.

"Wait, a machine can replicate ki?" asked Krillin.

"I only knew of experimental designs made by Freiza, they all failed," Vegeta muttered.

"Looks like someone succeeded," said Piccolo, "Whoever it is, they are trying to get our attention, I suggest we go give it to them." He, Goku and Vegeta led the way down to the sphere. Gohan stood directly in front of Appura. As the group approached the sphere, there was a creak and the door to the pod opened. An alien stepped out, dressed in armour similar to that of Frieza's soldiers. She had turquoise skin and purple hair. She stretched, not noticing the warriors approaching her. She was just scratching the back of her head when her gaze fell on the group. Her eyes grew wide and shifted from side to side as if looking for someone.

"Who are you?" asked Vegeta. The alien girl took a step back before straightening up.

"My name is Mi, and you must be Prince Vegeta," she said before bowing, "I was told of rumours that there were Saiyans on this planet and..." she trailed off, her eyes fixed on Gohan's right shoulder. "P..princess Appura," she muttered. Vegeta looked over his shoulder at Appura who was stood at Gohan's side. Mi started to look around wildly. "You...you weren't supposed to bring her," she said, his voice shaking, "You were supposed to leave her behind because she's with child." Appura frowned. Mi seemed to becoming slightly hysterical. "You weren't supposed to bring her!" screeched Mi before turning on her heel and making a break for the pod, throwing herself into it and slamming the door shut. The engines roared into life and the pod sped into the air, heading out of the atmosphere. "What the hell did she mean we weren't supposed to bring Appura?" said Gohan, putting one arm around Appura protectively. "Whoever Mi was working for intended to for us to leave Appura behind, to separate us from her," said Piccolo.

"Wait, that means someone has gone to Mount Paozu!" said Krillin, "Marron's there!"

"We need to get back there quick!" said Gohan. Ima hadn't moved since Mi had fled but now she turned to her daughter. "You need to stay here," she said, "Kakarot will stay with you. Swap shirts with me."

"What?" said Appura.

"Whoever sent the Athosian here is looking for you," said Ima before turning to Vegeta, "Vegeta give me your shirt too."

"Mom..." Appura started but was cut short by her mother yanking her yellow maternity top over her head, leaving her in the white vest she had worn underneath. Ima quickly replaced it with her own blue shirt and pulled on Appura's top. Vegeta had removed his black long-sleeved shirt and handed it to Ima. She balled it up and tucked it under the large top. Gohan supposed from a distance at least she would look like a heavily pregnant Appura. "Right, let's go," Ima said.

"Wait, I'm not sure about leaving Appura," said Gohan.

"Gohan, if whoever it is comes looking for Appura, your father will be the best bet for getting her as far away as possible as fast as possible," said Ima gently, "Plus, I'm willing to bet if they know us as well as I fear they do, they'll become suspicious if it seems you've strayed from Appura's side." Gohan looked down, knowing Ima was right. He had to go along with the pretence that Ima was Appura. "Alright," he said, his voice sounding strained. He hated this whole idea, hated leaving Appura. He turned to her, his princess, his fiancée. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I'll come back for you as soon as it's safe," he promised. Appura closed her eyes.

"I know," she said, "Gohan, I'm scared..."

"I know," replied Gohan before letting go of her, placing a hand gently on her stomach for a second before following the others who were leaving for Mount Paozu. Appura snorted in a huff and sat down on the ki generator as Goku stood guard watching for anything coming towards them.

* * *

><p>Gohan was restless. Even though they were flying, everyone could tell he was fidgety and ill at ease, almost as much as Ima. The group was flying in a triangular shape with Vegeta at the front and everyone in place behind him. Gohan was behind him on the right and Ima on the left. They were close now. Almost back to the house and had still not sensed anyone else. Gohan hoped it was a false alarm, that all this was Mi's idea of a joke. His heart was just beginning to relax when a ki blast hurtled through the tree tops so fast that by the time anyone could react, it had hit Ima, knocking her out of formation and out of the sky into the forest below.<p>

"Down, Vegeta, lead us down!" Piccolo ordered. For once, Vegeta obeyed and immediately lead the group straight down into the forest. Ima was nowhere in sight. Gohan looked at Vegeta. "Where did that come from?" he asked. A deep chuckle from within the forest drew Gohan's attention. From within the shadows, several large figures emerged. They were all easily as tall as Gohan, built like Nappa had been. Gohan's eyes widened as he took in the dark hair and eyes and the thick furry tails that were wrapped around their waists.

* * *

><p>Appura started chewing on her fingernails as she stared south-east. Something was niggling away in the back of her mind, something was off. "Goku, I don't like this," she said, "Something is wrong. Something is very wrong."<p>

"How do you mean?" asked Goku looking up from where he'd been picking dirt from under his fingernails.

"Well, for starters, all their ki's have just dropped off the grid," said Appura. Goku stood up straight and looked in the same direction as Appura.

"You're right," he said.

"If someone's managed to develop that ki generator, maybe they've found a way to shield them as well," Appura suggested, "Goku, take me back to Mount Paozu."

"No way, I promised your mom and dad I'd keep you safe," said Goku, before pointing in the direction they had been looking, "If their ki's have disappeared, it means there is danger back on Mount Paozu, there is no way I'm risking you or my grandson by taking you there."

"Goku, your sons, and your wife are back there, are you seriously just going to sit here?"

"I promised one of my sons I'd keep you safe," Goku replied flatly, "Besides, Chi-Chi can take care of herself."

"Fine! Sit here with your promises, but I'm going!" snapped Appura, poking Goku in the chest for good measure before stomping off. Goku stood still for a moment.

"Fine I'll take you," he said, "But first sign of trouble we're getting out of there, got it?"

"Thanks Goku," Appura replied, "If anyone asks, I'll tell them I forced you." Goku smiled briefly as he put a hand on Appura's shoulder and raised two fingers to his forehead.

* * *

><p>"Vegeta...what do we do?" Gohan asked.<p>

"Do nothing," said Vegeta, sounding as tense as ever.

'Saiyans, it's impossible, but here they are,' Gohan thought as he took in the dozens of Saiyans emerging from the trees around them.

"Dad, who are they?" Trunks asked, looking up at his father. The largest of the Saiyans, clearly the leader, quirked an eyebrow as Trunks called Vegeta 'Dad'. Vegeta quickly pushed Trunks behind him and out of the large Saiyan's sight. "So," the Saiyan spoke, "This is what has become of the House of Vegeta. A pathetic Half-Breed son with the weakest race in the West Galaxy." Vegeta sneered and looked the Saiyan up and down. Gohan saw his eyes settle on a symbol on the Saiyan's armour. "Kuda," he growled.

"Yes, I am Captain Daikon of King Kuda's army," said the Saiyan. Vegeta spat on the ground.

"Kuda is a false king!" he barked. The Saiyans shifted and muttered, making the Special Forces shift into more defensive positions. "Enough posturing and talking!" Vegeta snapped, "What do you want with my daughter?" Daikon looked at Vegeta curiously.

"Who?"

"My daughter, Appura," snapped Vegeta, "Your little minion Mi said we were supposed to have left her behind."

"Oh, the girl is your daughter? Huh, Puchin forgot to mention that!" laughed Daikon, "He told us she was just some Half-Breed third-classes mate!" Gohan glared at Daikon.

"Oh, so she's your mate!" laughed a smaller Saiyan on Gohan's right, "My, what shame on the House of Vegeta, to have a Royal Daughter mated with this piece of shit!" The Saiyan stepped out of the line and made to grab Gohan but Gohan was faster than him. As the Saiyan made to grab Gohan's arm, Gohan spun around, smashing his fist into the Saiyan's face, sending him flying back into the trees just as Goku and Appura appeared in the centre of the group. "Dad, what the hell?" Gohan shouted at the sight of his heavily pregnant mate in imminent danger.

"Your ki's all disappeared, we had to guess," Appura interjected. Suddenly there was mass beeping all around them. The scouters the Saiyans were wearing seemed to have activated in the presence of Appura. "Target acquired," chuckled Daikon. Gohan quickly pulled her into his arms.

"Do you really think any of you will be able to stop us," laughed Daikon as he reached for what looked like a gun attached to his belt.

"Oh no you don't, you ugly son of a bitch!" called a voice and Ima landed right in front of Daikon.

Daikon took a half step back in surprise before realising this was one person and swiftly aiming a kick at Ima's side which she deftly blocked with her arm. Daikon tried to punch her head but was blocked again. Their fight sped up, watched by surprised humans and Saiyans. Daikon suddenly spun a full circle and jabbed his hand forward. It caught Ima by surprise as she was unable to stop his hand forcing it's way right through her chest and out her back.

Appura's eyes widened. 'No, not again, not this way,' she thought.

"Mama!" she screamed.

_Appura watched the TV. Her mother rarely let her watch the news but for the past couple of days, she'd insisted Appura watch. Appura couldn't believe her eyes as the news once again showed the scenes from Gingertown. The clothes lying scattered on the street, the bodies of the people missing. Then the TV appearance of the being responsible, Cell. After watching that for the first time yesterday, she had called her dad, desperate to know he was safe and was going to take care of this monster but instead of her father answering his cell phone, a boy aged between sixteen and nineteen had answered and told her she had got a wrong number. Appura had carefully redialled her father's number three more times but each time the same boy answered._

_Her mother stood leaning in the doorway, a full backpack in her hands. She'd been hovering for about ten minutes, thinking Appura hadn't noticed. Just then, there was banging on the apartment door. Appura squealed for a moment in fright. "Ima! Appura! Open up!" Appura felt relieved to hear her father's voice calling from the other side of the door. Ima turned around and went to the front door of the apartment. She opened it and Vegeta marched in. "Dad!" Appura cried and raced forward, throwing her arms around her father's legs before noticing he was not alone. Her father had never brought a friend with him before. The tall boy, who looked about eighteen, had purple hair and blue eyes. "Appura," Vegeta said calmly, bringing his young daughter's attention back to himself, "This is the boy from the future who warned us about the androids. He's also the grown-up version of your little brother I told you about." Appura blinked at her dad. She did vaguely recall a phone call last year about her father having a son by another woman. The tall boy walked over and knelt down next to her. "Hi," he said, "I'm Trunks."_

"_I'm Appura," she replied, unsure of this boy, he sounded like the boy who had told her she had the wrong number the day before. _

"_Is she ready?" Vegeta asked._

"_Oh, yes, here," Ima said, handing over the pack, "I'll come join you tonight..."the priestess trailed off, her hand letting go of the backpack which fell to the floor, spilling it's contents. Appura looked around. Her mother was looking out the window, as was her father and the purple-haired boy. _

"_He's here," Trunks muttered._

"_We need to move quickly," said Vegeta, follow me. He grabbed Ima's arm and raced out the apartment. Trunks stood up, swiftly lifting Appura into his arms and followed. "Wait, what's going on?" Appura asked._

"_It's Cell," said Trunks, "He's followed us." He followed as Vegeta led the way down the back staircase of the apartment building. "Once we get outside, you take the girl back to the Lookout, Ima and I will join you," barked Vegeta as they reached the bottom, "You keep your ki suppressed until you're out of the city."_

"_Yes, father," replied Trunks, tightening his hold on Appura. Ima moved forward and placed a kiss on Appura's forehead. _

"_Be brave, sweetheart, your brother will look after you," she said._

"_Mama," Appura said quietly. Vegeta pushed the door open and strode out with Ima, immediately flying into the air. Trunks hung back for a moment, listening._

"_Trunks, where are we going?" Appura asked._

"_Somewhere safe, you've heard of Cell right?" Appura nodded._

"_He's holding a tournament for the strongest fighters in the world," said Trunks, "He's come here because he can sense your mom. He wants her to fight as well."_

"_But Mama doesn't fight anymore," protested Appura._

"_I know, but Cell doesn't care, father says...he said Cell might take you to force her to fight," Trunks said softly, "That's why we've come. We're taking you to where all the other fighters are. So you're hidden amongst them."_

"_Ok," said Appura, "So, you're my little brother from the future?"_

"_Yes," said Trunks, "But in my time, our father died, and he never told my mom about you...in fact I didn't even know you existed until yesterday. When we've defeated Cell, and I go back to my time, I'm going to look for you." Appura smiled. Trunks peeked out the door._

"_Father!" he cried, dropping Appura and racing out the door. Appura followed him only to be confronted by the monster she had seen on the TV, Cell, stood a few feet away. "Hello, princess," he said before raising his hand, "Special Beam Cannon!" _

"_No!" shouted three voices as light was emitted from his finger tips. Appura felt herself being pushed flat against the concrete and a shadow went over her head. There was a scream and then silence._

"_I'll see you at the tournament," said Cell and Appura, still face down, heard him fly away. She looked to see who had pushed her down and saw Trunks who was staring horror-struck at something in front of him. Appura turned her head and saw her father crouched in front of her, cradling her mother. "Mama," Appura said softly as she scrambled to her feet and raced forward. Her mother's eyes were closed as if she were sleeping but as Appura continued to look at her she knew something was wrong. She wasn't breathing. Appura looked down. Just above her mother's stomach, between her ribs was a gaping hole. That's when it struck Appura what had happened. Trunks had pushed her down but her mother had thrown herself in the way of Cell's attack. "Mama!" she screamed and began to sob._

"Mama!" Appura screamed again as Daikon pulled his hand away. She pushed Gohan away and raced forward to catch her mother as she fell. "Mama," she sobbed as she cradled her. She heard the faint gasp of her mother's last breath and felt a surge of emotion so intense she closed her eyes and held her body closer to her. Anger, fear, sorrow all swirled around inside her. She was angry, so angry that her mother had felt the need to defend her once again! Fear for her life and the life of her baby! Sorrow, she was unbelievably , uncontrollably sad...her mother had already been revived once using the Dragonballs and couldn't be revived again. She let out a pained cry as she felt her emotions surge out of control. She felt the anger and the fear and the sorrow all at once. She let out a strangled cry and rocked back and forth more. No one around her moved.

Gohan was unable to believe his eyes. Appura was shuddering uncontrollably, her strangled cries starting to turn into angry grunts, her tail flicking from side to side like an angry cat. The Saiyans just staring at her. Then it happened. Her hair moved without wind and began to stand up on end, a widow's peak appearing from beneath her fringe. He knew the movement, he knew the tension and he could feel Appura's ki shooting up. There was a flicker of light and for the briefest second Appura's hair turned golden before going black again. "Appura!" he heard Trunks cry. He saw the boy rush forward to comfort his sister, his hand outstretched. "Trunks, no!" Gohan cried but too late. The second Trunks touched Appura a jolt of energy sent him flying backwards, his arm broken. Trunks squealed in pain, adding to the symphony of sounds around them as the Saiyans muttered in fear, Appura grunted in anger and earth and trees were pulled into the air.

Appura let out a final almighty yell and threw her head back, her eyes open. Her eyes were no longer blue, but teal and her hair finally shimmered gold. She dropped her mother's body and stood up. Gohan's eyes widened as he took her in. A female Super Saiyan, the first female Super Saiyan. Aside from her hair and eyes, she didn't look any different, but her energy, her ki, was dramatically different. It was no longer cool and calm, but boiling hot and raging like lava.

Appura looked at the group behind her. The Z fighters all took an involuntary step back as her wild gaze took them in before turning on the Saiyans. She looked at Daikon and said, "Run!" The Saiyans didn't need telling twice. They turned tail and ran. Appura's gaze was focussed on Daikon. She gave them a few seconds before following them, Gohan, Goku and Vegeta close behind her. She was even faster than normal in her Super Saiyan form, following the Saiyans. Gohan couldn't help but stare in both wonder and fear as she blew some of them into dust if they got in her way.

She suddenly stopped in midair, Daikon not far away. She raised her right arm, balancing it with her left hand and twisting her fingers. "Star Beam!" she cried, two beams of light coming from her index and ring fingers and piercing Daikon's shoulders, forcing him to stop. Appura yelled out and two beams of light came out of her thumb and pinkie. Daikon began screaming in agony as the energy pierced his knees. Appura sneered and powered up one last time, the final beam of energy coming out of her middle finger and piercing Daikon's head. He stopped struggling and screaming, in fact, he stopped doing anything. Appura frowned and moved her fingers slightly. The beams of energy moved to burn a five-pointed star through Daikon's body, severing his limbs and head. She dropped her hand, the energy dissipating. She was panting. Her energy plummeting. As amazing as the attack had been, it had completely drained her. Gohan watched as her eyes turned blue again, her hair lay down and turned black. She hovered in the air for a second before her eyes rolled backwards into her head and she began to fall to earth. Gohan sped down and caught her. Her ki was so weak now, and he could barely feel the baby's ki either. He clutched her closer as he saw his father rising back up with Ima's body wrapped in Piccolo's cloak.

* * *

><p>Yamcha leaned against the doorframe, scanning the horizon. He could feel nothing, see nothing. It was as if the entire forest was being blocked from him, as if something was shielding the ki of every creature in the forest. He had no idea where any of the other warriors were. He was blocking out the sound of Bulma and Chi-Chi talking behind him. "Any sign?" Yamcha blinked and turned around. Bulma was looking at him. He shook his head. He was starting to worry. His heart had started hurting a few minutes before and there were faint explosions in the distance now.<p>

"Can you not sense anything?" Bulma asked.

"No," Yamcha replied.

"They're back," said Chi-Chi looking over Yamcha's shoulder, "Oh no!" She raced past Yamcha who spun round and his heart stopped dead. Appura was unconscious in Gohan's arms, Goku was carrying something wrapped in Piccolo's cloak and Ima was nowhere in sight. Suddenly, the pain in his heart made sense. He'd seen Bulma feel it almost two years before...Ima was wrapped in Piccolo's cloak. "No," he said as Goku came closer, "No, no, no, no, no, no!" He dropped to his knees in the doorway.

"I'm sorry, Yamcha," Goku said as he stood in front of his long-time friend, "I'm so sorry. She was protecting Appura. We'll get the Dragonballs, we'll wish her back."

"We can't," Yamcha sobbed, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his palm, "She already got wished back after Cell. She can't be wished back." Goku looked down at his friend. He honestly didn't know what to say to him, to say to a man who had lost the woman he loved permanently. He stepped aside as Gohan walked into the house with Appura, Bulma and Trunks close behind. "Goku," Yamcha said, "Please, give her to me." He held out his arms for his wife's body. Goku carefully handed her over.

"Who did this?" Yamcha asked.

"Saiyans, I don't know how, or why they are here, but they are working for someone named Kuda, someone who claims to be the Saiyan king," said Goku, "They were looking for Appura. Ima died defending her..." Goku trailed off as the memory of Appura's transformation played inside his head.

"Goku? What happened?" Yamcha asked as he walked into the house, the Saiyan automatically following him, "What happened to Trunks' arm? What happened to Appura?" He laid his wife's body on the sofa.

"Appura transformed," Goku said simply.

"What? She went Super Saiyan?" Yamcha said in disbelief.

"She...it was amazing to see someone else react like that," Goku said, "I mean, Gohan transformed through the power of his imagination alone but Appura...She started off screaming for her mother, and caught her body before she hit the floor. She then sorta switched off to the world. Gohan kept calling her name but she didn't answer, she was rocking back and forth crying and then her cries changed, they changed into growls and that was when it happened. Her hair started to change. Trunks went forward and tried to touch her but her energy threw him back and crushed his arm. That was when she transformed and...she wasn't Appura anymore. She was more like Vegeta, back when he was really bad, she made the Saiyans run and she was hunting them, well, one of them, called Daikon, the one who killed Ima. She destroyed him with this Star Blast attack."

"Star Blast?" asked Yamcha.

"Yeah, it's brutal," said Goku, "Using her five fingers, she formed five beams of energy, two severing the shoulders, two severing the knees and the last one goes straight through the head before moving to sever every limb."

"She did that?"

"Yeah, it looks like an all or nothing technique, she passed out right after she used it," Goku said, watching as Yamcha stroked Ima's hair out of her face.

"Will the baby be alright?" Yamcha asked.

"Oh crap, the baby, in everything that happened I didn't think about what the transformation would do to the baby!" said Goku, smacking himself in the head.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Yamcha said, "Gohan's with her."

"Yeah," said Goku, "You seem ok all of a sudden."

"I can't...can't let myself feel sad right now," Yamcha replied, still looking down at Ima, "I made Ima a promise, months ago, but still...I promised if anything happened to her, I would look after Appura and the baby, that I would make sure they're ok before I did any kind of mourning."

"Sounds like she knew something was gonna happen," Goku said, frowning.

"She knew a lot of stuff," Yamcha said, "She'd seen a lot of stuff as well...did you know she watched her father die when she was five, along with her mother and her sisters? And that Vegeta's father himself rescued her and kept her safe?" Goku shook his head.

"Can you give me a minute alone, Goku?" Yamcha asked, looking up at him as he knelt beside the sofa, "I think you need to fetch Dende to heal Trunks' arm and check Appura's ok."

"Just let Chi-Chi know if you need anything," Goku said, squeezing Yamcha's shoulder before moving off and leaving.

* * *

><p>"So the baby is gonna be ok?" Gohan asked over his mug of coffee. Dende, the Guardian, was sat opposite him at the kitchen table. The others had either out looking for the Saiyans or were dealing with officials in the nearest town with regards to Ima's death.<p>

"Aside from being a little agitated which is understandable, your son seems ok," said Dende, "It could have been a lot worse, considering how violent Saiyan transformations can be. I think Appura just needs to sleep it off and they'll both be fine."

"Thanks Dende," said Gohan, "I just worry."

"From what I understand, that's normal when you're expecting a baby," replied Dende.

"Coming from the species that reproduces asexually," said Gohan.

"This is the one aspect of human and indeed Saiyan life that has intrigued me for a long time," said Dende, "The seeking out of one to share genetic material with to produce more genetically diverse offspring, or rather as you would call it, finding love and settling down. It can be so fascinating to watch two people find each other."

"You've been watching soap operas again haven't you?" Gohan quipped, raising an eyebrow.

"What? I think they're brilliant, if a little over dramatic," said Dende. Gohan laughed.

"I can't believe you're ready for this," Dende continued, "From what I understand, any other nineteen year old is out there, what is the phrase? 'Sowing your wild oats'."

"Other nineteen year olds haven't been saving the planet since they were five," replied Gohan, "Trust me, I've had enough adventure. All I want now is a quiet life with Appura, and in three months time, our baby." Dende smiled at his friend. An almighty scream tore through the house. Gohan dropped his coffee mug and ran into his old room. Appura was up and leaning over the bed, gripping the mattress. On the floor at her feet was a puddle. "Appura, what's wrong? What's happening?" Gohan asked.

"My water's have broken," Appura gasped, "The baby's coming."


	15. Chapter 15 Kabu

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Dragonball series**

**Chapter 15**

**Kabu**

Gohan's head dropped sharply and he instantly woke up. He'd been drifting in and out of sleep for the last ten hours but couldn't sleep sat up in the chair. He blinked and rubbed the back of his neck. He looked up and saw Appura looking at him. She was lying on her side, one arm around her stomach, the steady beeping of two heart monitors behind her. As soon as his dad had returned the night before, they'd raced to Satan City hospital. The doctor's had immediately started pumping Appura full of drugs in an attempt to keep the baby inside for as long as possible but Appura's labour was still advancing albeit much more slowly. She couldn't sleep. Not knowing that her transformation had caused this, that her transformation had traumatised her unborn baby so much that he wanted out. "You should sleep," Appura mumbled, barely conscious from exhaustion and the drugs that were still being pumped into her.

"I can't, I won't," Gohan mumbled, still rubbing his neck, "I want to stay here with you."

"I'm sorry, Gohan, I couldn't stop it, I just wanted to hurt them so bad..." Appura started. Gohan quickly stood up and walked over to the bed. He stroked her short hair gently.

"Don't be sorry," Gohan said, "I watched my dad make the transformation. It can't be stopped."

"I'm so tired," Appura half-moaned, her eyes closing. She looked exhausted.

"I know, try to sleep, you'll need your energy," Gohan said.

"Ok," Appura mumbled, her voice slurred, "I love you." Gohan didn't say anything but bent over and pressed a kiss to her head. He listened to her breathing even out and knew she'd dozed off. He didn't have long. He pulled away from her and left the room.

Outside the room, there was a long bench of seats. His dad was asleep, his head resting against the wall, one leg bent, bringing his foot up onto the seat with him and his arms folded. Bulma was on the seat next to him, her head resting on his shoulder. His mother was on the other side. Goten and Trunks had gone back with Krillin and 18. Vegeta was leaning against the wall by the door. "She asleep?" he asked. Gohan nodded.

"I need a smoke," Gohan muttered.

"Really, thought you quit with Appura?" Vegeta smirked. Gohan ignored him and headed out of the hospital with the Prince just behind him. As soon as they reached outside, Gohan ferreted around in his pockets for his cigarettes. He found an old half-crushed packet in an inside pocket along with a disposable lighter that still had a little fuel in it. He lit a cigarette and took his first drag in four months before slumping backwards onto the wall and siding down to sit on the floor. "She's not going to last much longer," he muttered, "Sooner or later, those drugs are going to stop working and she's going to get the urge to start pushing, Vegeta, I'm scared that the baby isn't going to survive, that, it'll be too weak." Vegeta said nothing but looked at the boy, the father of his grandchild, out the corner of his eye.

"Do you even care? This is your daughter and her child we're talking about, your own flesh and blood, their lives are in danger and you haven't said a word since we got here!" Gohan snapped.

"Don't you dare talk to me that way, boy," Vegeta spat, spinning around to face Gohan fully, "Of course I know those drugs aren't going to work for long, and, yes, I know it's my daughter in there. But this stopped being my problem the minute she stopped listening to me. It stopped being my problem the minute she crawled into bed with you and conceived your brat."

"Don't," Gohan warned the older man, "Don't start with that brat nonsense, not with my kid! Things are going to change Vegeta, I'm sick of the way you look down at me and my family. Yeah, ok, so maybe my dad's family weren't very high up the social ladder back on Planet Vegeta, but the fact of the matter is, without us, you'd be homeless right now. Do you honestly think Bulma offered to take you in out of the kindness of her heart? No! She took you in as a favour to my dad, you were the only other Saiyan left and she knew that he'd want you to be ok, no matter how much of jerk you were. And not only did she take you in, but she bent over backwards to help you train for the androids AND she had your kid and not once did she complain about how you treated her. You may not have fooled around with other women like Yamcha did, but you weren't exactly the most supportive guy either. So here's how this is going to go down, over the next few hours or days or however long Appura is in labour, you can still treat me and my dad like dirt, but the second my kid is born, you put one toe out of line, one snide remark about our family and I will take you down." Vegeta stared at Gohan, incredulous. Where the hell had that come from?

"You think you can threaten me boy? You honestly think you can beat me in a fight?" he spat.

"Honestly no, but I will always prove to my kid that I won't take your shit lying down, and I'm damn sure Appura won't either," replied Gohan, "We're going to be one big family very soon Vegeta, and it's about time you started acting like you're a part of it. My grandfather means the world to me, and I'm sure you and my dad will be my son's heroes. But I will not have him growing up, wondering why his dad lets his grandfather walk all over him." Gohan paused to stand up and drew himself up to his full height, towering over Vegeta.

"I won't tell my son what you did before Namek, the murdering, the destroying of planets," he said, his voice softer now, "But I will tell him of the few times you've done the right thing, like sacrificing yourself against Buu, charging headlong into Cell after he hurt Mirai Trunks. You are a good man Vegeta, you just need to show it a little more." With that, Gohan stubbed his cigarette out and walked back into the hospital, leaving a stunned Vegeta by himself.

"ARGHHHHH!" Gohan froze halfway down the hallway at the sound of Appura's scream. No, no, those drugs should have worked for at least a few more hours. He bolted down the hall, thankful for his Saiyan speed for the first time. He turned the corner and ran into his father. "Gohan, where have you been?" Goku said, grabbing hold of Gohan's shoulders, "Appura went into full blown labour about ten minutes ago!"

"I just went outside for some fresh air," Gohan replied, pushing his father to one side and racing towards Appura's room. He threw open the door to her room. She was up on her feet again. The drips she had been attached to were now lying forgotten on the floor, it looked as though she had ripped them out herself. She clutched the side of the bed, her knuckles white and Gohan could hear the metal frame beneath them groaning in protest at being squeezed by a labouring Saiyan. "Where have you been?" she snapped before launching into another groan of pain. Gohan didn't answer as he moved over to her. The poor doctor and midwife were stood to one side, looking absolutely terrified. "He's not coming out today," Appura grunted, bowing her head, "I'm crossing my legs, I won't allow it. He's staying in there until I say so!"

"I don't think he's going to listen babe, remember who he has for a grandfather," Gohan said quietly as he tried to guide her back onto the bed.

"Miss Vegeta, I'm very sorry," said the doctor, who looked like he was trembling, "But the drugs are obviously no longer working, we may have to deliver your son now."

"No, he has to stay in, he's not ready," Appura moaned.

"Well, he seems to think he is," replied the doctor, "We have a very good NICU here, we will be able to take care of him." Gohan could tell Appura didn't have any strength left to argue with both the doctor and her unborn son.

"Fine," she moaned as she settled back onto the bed, "I'd much rather be stood up to do this though."

"I understand, but I will not be able to help you deliver if you are standing," stuttered the poor doctor.

"Fine," Appura spat again before turning and smacking Gohan on the shoulder, "That's for disappearing on me."

"Ow," muttered Gohan as he took hold of her hand, "It'll be ok."

"I hope so," Appura muttered.

Six hours later…

Gohan was pretty certain his hand was going to break so it came as a huge relief when the midwife said, "Just one more push now." Appura had her head bowed and had been muttering in a language Gohan didn't recognise but assumed was Ancient Saiyan. She let out a scream, almost broke his hand and then…time seemed to slow down for a moment. The midwife and the nurses and the doctor seemed to slip into slow motion. He saw the doctor pulling something and then a high-pitched crying brought time back up to speed. The doctor held in his hands something red and wrinkled and screaming, something with a thick black furry tail and flame-shaped hair. His son. He was perfectly formed and by the sounds of things had a set of healthy lungs to say the least. The doctor quickly placed the baby on Appura's chest as he dealt with the afterbirth and cutting the umbilical cord. Gohan stared down at the baby on Appura, who was clicking her tongue and murmuring at the child. He had the round face of the Son family, but Vegeta's tall hair. "Look, Gohan, isn't he beautiful?" Appura cooed.

"Errr," Gohan hesitated. The baby wasn't what he'd call beautiful, in face at the moment it looked like a cross between Cell in his first form and Jeice. Appura elbowed him in the stomach as the nurse took their son away. "Doesn't matter, I still think he's beautiful," she said, barely audible over their son's crying. "Fascinating," the doctor said, "Miss Vegeta, you said all your medical tests were undertaken at Capsule Corp by their private doctors?"

"Yes," said Appura, "Why?"

"Did they indicate that your son had a tail?"

"Yes, it seems to be a genetic quirk on both sides of my family, and on one side of Gohan's," Appura replied, her tone breezy in an attempt to throw the doctor off any suspicious scents.

"Oh, well, Dr. Briefs may want them to be retrained," said the doctor, "Your records stated that you were only six and half months pregnant but he looks like he was carried to full term."

"Possibly," said Appura, "But my family have always been quick developers. So the doctor may only have been off by a little."

"Yes, pregnancy does vary from woman to woman, an inprecise science sometimes," said the doctor before returning to where the nurses were weighing the baby.

"Think he bought it?" Appura whispered to Gohan.

"Yep," Gohan replied.

"Wow," said Goten as Gohan carefully placed Kabu in his arms, "He's so little."

"He's a baby, stupid, we were all that little once," Trunks said in a sulky manner. He'd been disappointed that his turn had been cut short by Kabu wanting a feed and then Goten asking for a turn. "Gohan wasn't," Chi-Chi laughed but with tears in her eyes, "He was twelve pounds if he was an ounce!"

"Really? Wow, Trunks was just over ten," said Bulma, "And wasn't Goten ten on the dot?"

"Yes, he was, but he was wider than Gohan was," said Chi-Chi, "How much did Kabu weigh again, Appura?"

"Err, six pounds two," Appura said, quickly looking at her son. Despite all the pain she had felt pushing him out, he did seem rather small, even for a human baby. And he had more Saiyan blood than Gohan and Goten so she had expected him to be just as big as they were. The short hairs on the back of her neck stood up on end. Something was up. The door opened and her father finally showed up. Kami knows where he had been for the last several hours! "Hey, Gohan, he's making a funny noise, is that normal?" Goten's voice made her swing her head back again, "It's like he's panting."

"Goten, you dummy, you're holding him wrong!" Trunks barked.

"No, he's holding him fine," Gohan said as he crouched down in front of the chair his little brother was sat on and gently placing his hand on the baby, "His hearts beating really fast, even for a Saiyan…he can't breathe!" In one swift movement he had scooped Kabu out of Goten's arms and stood up. Appura tried to get out of bed but was still in too much pain. "Dad, go find a doctor, a nurse, somebody!" Gohan said as he walked over to Appura, "He's not breathing right." Appura stretched her arms out as Goku hurried from the room. Bulma and Chi-Chi looked worried but Vegeta just looked relaxed as Hell started breaking loose around him. Goku returned quickly with a doctor in tow who rushed over and started listening to Kabu's chest with a stethoscope. Appura's breath caught in her throat as she saw his frown deepen. "Your son is not breathing properly," the doctor said, "I'm afraid I will have to take him to the NICU after all." He reached for the intercom that was next to the bed and took the receiver off. He began repeating codes as Appura looked up at Gohan, his face marred with worry. She looked over to where her father had been stood. She wasn't all that surprised that he was gone.

He didn't plan to stay long, he didn't anyone to see him here. But the longer he stood there, the harder it was for him to leave. Why did he feel like he was the failure? Why did he have the feeling of guilt in his gut? It was not his son lying there in the incubator, a machine breathing for him, but still, it was his grandson. Kabu, son of Gohan, was lying in an incubator, an affront to Saiyan pride, an affront to Vegeta's pride. Vegeta frowned down at the sleeping child. He was stable. The doctor's seemed to think it was adrenaline that had kept Kabu breathing normally and now that it was wearing off, he was struggling. So they'd put him on the machine. Vegeta sneered. This was what happened when the Royal family mated with third class dogs. Weak offspring, barely able to breathe.

Vegeta's pride was still stinging from Gohan's verbal assault on him earlier that day, mere hours before the boy's birth. Vegeta hissed. Gohan had threatened to kick Vegeta if he put so much as one toe out of line. So, heeding the warning, an empty threat as it was, Vegeta had chosen to say nothing as the child was rushed to the NICU but stood there with his usual smug look on his face. He knew he looked like an uncaring bastard but that was who he had always been and now that his family was getting bigger, he needed to try even harder to keep up that appearance. Lest someone, somewhere think that he, Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyans, was going soft. He frowned and searched for his grandson's ki. An even greater insult, it was a weak as the other babies in the NICU.

Kuda smirked as he looked down on the hospital. This was all too perfect. With the child so weak, it would weaken their defences when it came to attack. Soon, soon it would be time for him to strike. The plan was falling into place.


	16. Chapter 16 Seven Shooting Stars

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Dragonball Z

A/N: The song featured in this is Slipped Away by Avril Lavigne, but with a couple of changes. I just thought it summed up Appura's feelings.

**Chapter 16**

**Seven Shooting Stars**

Appura tried to pretend it wasn't real, that it wasn't really her mother's pyre that stood before her, that it wasn't her mother's body being carried in by Yamcha and Goku. She blinked back some tears and looked over the pyre. Gohan was stood there and his mere presence was a source of comfort. The whole clearing was silent as Goku and Yamcha gently laid Ima to rest on the pyre. It was a traditional Saiyan funeral for someone who wasn't a warrior but died in battle, to honour their valiant effort. Everyone was wearing traditional Saiyan garb. Vegeta wore his traditional Saiyan armour complete with a red cloak and the crest of the Royal House of Vegeta on the breast plate. Trunks wore something identical. Bulma had crafted armour for the Son men as well. Yamcha was wearing his gi. Bulma was wearing a version of Saiyan womanswear but with her own spin on it. Chi-Chi was wearing a nice formal dress, not feeling comfortable in the Saiyan garb Bulma had made for her, though she got points for trying.

Appura herself was wearing the traditional clothes of a Saiyan Princess. She wore Saiyan armour on her top half but it ended just above her midriff. It had big shoulders and the family crest on the chest. Then on her bottom half was a loincloth-style piece of soft white material. She wore the same gold-tipped boots as her father and brother. She also wore blue arm braces on her wrists and there was a beautiful silver tiara spanning her forehead. The tiara had been an early birthday present from Bulma. Bulma had learnt from Vegeta that Saiyan Princesses came of age at nineteen and that was when they were formally introduced to the grand populace and would be permitted to socialise without a chaperone. But Bulma had decided that as seen as the entirety of the remaining Saiyan population on Earth knew about their princess, there was no need to withhold the gift.

Yamcha and Goku stepped back from the pyre and took their places in the circle of people surrounding. Appura took a deep breath and, in unison with her father, began reciting the right passages in Ancient Saiyan. She wasn't sure on the exact meaning but knew it was something about a non-warrior earning a warrior's death, and letting the blood of their enemies wash the ground. That last part made Appura's stomach turn as she thought about how she had slaughtered the Saiyans too dumb to run away. She finished the passages and sighed, meeting Gohan's gaze once more. Everyone present, capable of summoning their ki, formed the smallest ball of energy in their open palm before sending it to the pyre. The dried sticks and wood crackled as they caught fire. Now was the part Appura had been dreading.

Her mother had always encouraged her singing and she had written a song for her mother.

"_Mama, na na na, mama  
>I miss you, miss you so bad<br>I don't forget you, oh it's so sad  
>I hope you can hear me<br>I remember it clearly_

_The day you slipped away_  
><em>Was the day I found it won't be the same<em>  
><em>Oh<em>

_Mama, na na na, mama_

_I didn't get around to kiss you_  
><em>Goodbye on the hand<em>  
><em>I wish that I could see you again<em>  
><em>I know that I can't<em>

_Oh_  
><em>I hope you can hear me cause I remember it clearly<em>

_The day you slipped away_  
><em>Was the day I found it won't be the same<em>  
><em>Oh<em>

_I've had my wake up_  
><em>Won't you wake up<em>  
><em>I keep asking why<em>  
><em>And I can't take it<em>  
><em>It wasn't fake<em>  
><em>It happened, you passed by<em>

_Now you are gone, now you are gone_  
><em>There you go, there you go<em>  
><em>Somewhere I can't bring you back<em>  
><em>Now you are gone, now you are gone<em>  
><em>There you go, there you go,<em>  
><em>Somewhere you're not coming back<em>

_The day you slipped away_  
><em>Was the day I found it won't be the same no..<em>  
><em>The day you slipped away<em>  
><em>Was the day that I found it won't be the same oh...<em>

_Mama, na na na, mama_  
><em>I miss you<em>."

By the time she had finished singing, the fire had taken full hold, sending her mother on to the next life. Saiyan afterlife had been the one lesson they had never gotten to, mainly because her mother wholeheartedly believed she would be one of the few Saiyan's to die of old age.

Ima burnt quickly. It had started as a practical event, the burning of bodies, to stop the spread of disease, but eventually the Saiyans had adopted it as formal practice to the point where only the Royal family, Elites and the members of the Temple of Thuranz used it. The lower classes that died in battle tended to be left where they fell. Those who died on their home world were buried in mass graves with those who died the same day, week or in peaceful times, the same month. The mass graves had been located far away the main cities mainly due to the huge stench from where the graves were left open for so long.

Burn quickly she might, but not quick enough for Vegeta. Ima's skin was barely scorched when he turned on his heel and left the clearing. Appura and Gohan were the last ones to leave the clearing. Ima's death and the birth of their son had put a huge strain on their bond and made Gohan reluctant to leave her alone, for fear she might leave. An irrational fear as Appura had pointed out but it was deep rooted in Gohan's mind.

The fire was dying down when Appura moved to leave and Gohan went with her. They returned to the Son house to find Vegeta putting Trunks and Goten through their paces. Appura's last nerve finally stopped. The princess had been completely frazzled recently and this was the final straw. Her mother's funeral was supposed to allow people to mourn, especially the two young boys who hadn't lost someone permanently before. It was supposed to be a time for them to learn and understand what had happened. Not for her father to continue his training!

"What the hell are you doing?" she screamed. Trunks and Goten froze in place, whilst Vegeta glared at her. The door to the Son house opened and faces appeared around it, complete with Goku who was obviously chewing.

"That is it! I've had it!" Appura snapped as she stomped over to her father as the two boys ran for cover behind their mothers, "I've had enough of you! I've had enough of your ignorance, your attitude. You really didn't care did you? Oh no, no one's loss can ever match that of the mighty Prince Vegeta losing his Daddy, therefore he can do whatever the hell he wants. That's all you are! A cold, heartless, selfish bastard!" She followed the statement up with a swift poke in her father's chest. It was in the split second that followed that Appura finally understood the phrase 'the calm before the storm'. There was a brief pause and then, next thing she knew, she was being flung through the air, landing in a crumpled heap, head first. Some deep rooted instinct told her to stay down. But that did nothing to help her. She felt a hand close around the back of her neck and drag her up. She tried to turn Super Saiyan but like all of her attempts since her initial transformation, all that happened was her hair flickered and stood on end but nothing more.

"Listen to me, little girl," her father hissed in her ear, "I am your Prince first and your father second, so listen up! I will not tolerate your weakness anymore. My debt to your mother is paid. I will not put up with your weakness any longer, so if you want your son to have his mother, you will watch your mouth because I will not tolerate it anymore." With that he dropped her and began to walk away. Within moments, Appura was back on her feet and charging at him. Vegeta sidestepped her pathetic tackle with ease. She was blinded by fury, her training meant nothing now the red mist had descended. She recovered and launched herself at the Saiyan Prince once more, he merely battered her away as if she were some annoying fly. Appura landed in a heap at Gohan's feet. She made to go after Vegeta again but was stopped by her mate wrapping his arms around her, pinning her to his chest.

"Just leave it, Appura, he's not worth it," he whispered to her as she struggled against him, "He'll never be worth it." Appura stopped struggling and her shoulders shook slightly as she sobbed.

* * *

><p>Dende looked out over the Earth that sprawled far beneath his feet. He was meant to be resting as the people and animals of his charge slept, but it eluded him. He felt tense, on edge and it had little to do with the massive power levels coming out of Mount Paozu that afternoon. He knew of Ima's funeral and guessed the tensions between the Saiyans had reached boiling point. He sighed as he looked up into the massive expanse of black and blue and twinkling stars above him. Somewhere out there was his people, the Namek, but there was also danger. The remnants of an old Saiyan war, at least one side of it, still lurked and they were drawing dangerously close to Earth and the last of the losing side. While he remained indifferent towards Vegeta, Dende was still bound to protect the others, Gohan, Goten, Trunks, Appura and Kabu because they were born here and Goku, a Saiyan who considered himself human. They were counted amongst his charges and he had a duty of care to each and every one.<p>

As he stared into the night, Dende felt his body become light, almost as if he had left it behind and was floating above it. Images flashed before his eyes. Seven shooting stars. A king, sat upon a throne of bones and blood. And words, but not any words of Earth, words of an ancient alien race. Dende felt his heart pound and landed back with a thump! Suddenly everything seemed real once more. He took a couple of shaky breaths before turning on his heel and running into the main building. He quickly found himself a wax tablet and began drawing what he had seen. It was there that Mr Popo found him the next morning.

"Dende? Master?" the genie enquired as he took in Dende's shaking frame. He leant over the young Namek's shoulder and saw what he had drawn.

"What is it, Dende? What is it you have drawn?" he asked.

"The future," replied Dende.

* * *

><p>Appura tried to ignore the elevated power level of her little brother. He was probably playing with Goten and Gohan at the opening of Hercule's hotel. Appura had been invited along but she had received a phone call from the hospital, asking her to come in for a meeting about her son's health. She had ordered Gohan to go and enjoy himself, saying if it was important, she would call him. Goku's ki spiked again. And her father's. What the hell were they up to?<p>

"Ah, Ms Vegeta, thank you for waiting, or is it Mrs Son now? I forget…" said Dr Pepper.

"It's still Ms Vegeta," replied Appura, "Can I ask what this emergency is about?"

"I do apologise, I did make a note to call you last week, but obviously with your mother dying, I put it off and err, lost my note," replied the ageing doctor.

"It's quite alright," Appura said.

"Anyway, we've been monitoring your son's progress, if he continues to improve like he has, we suspect he would be well enough to go home as early as next week," the doctor continued, "Obviously, we'd like to keep him in longer than that, but I suspect you may need your nursery completed within two weeks." The old doctor broke into a smiled and Appura could have hugged him. She refrained though, fearing her Saiyan strength could crush and kill the old man. "Thank you, Dr Pepper," she said delighted, "Thank you so much, I've got to go, I promised Kabu's father I would call him as soon as I had news. Thank you." She turned and quickly left the office. Things were finally going right!

She flew across town to the site of Hercule's hotel and was greeted by, well, it looked like the hotel had actually been demolished. Appura was certain that Gohan had said they'd been invited to the grand opening, not the ground breaking. She picked her way carefully around the piles of rubble to where she sensed the rest of the Z fighters. They all seemed well, though she could hear her father and Goku arguing over pork chop but what else was new?

"Appura!" she heard her brother cry as he ran to her, "You missed it! It was amazing, these two aliens came and Goten and I had to fight them!"

"Wait, what? Aliens? Why were aliens here?" Appura asked.

"Oh, they were chasing our uncle, Tarble," Trunks said, brushing off the fact as if it was nothing, "So, anyway, they decided that Goten and I could have the first try at defeating them…"

"Trunks, slow down and back up, what's this about an uncle?" Appura said, desperately trying to get the ten year old to organise his thoughts.

"My apologies, I should introduce myself," said a voice to the side of Appura. She turned to see a man, significantly shorter than herself, but a mirror image of her father. The mini-Vegeta stepped forward, extending a hand.

"My name is Tarble, I understand you are Appura?" he said.

"Yes," said Appura, a little in shock.

"Vegeta's daughter I understand, your mother was a high priestess of Thuranz," said Tarble, sounding like he'd swotted up before hand, "You are betrothed to Gohan, son of Kakarott and have an infant son named Kabu with him."

"Ok, so you have my life story, huh?" Appura joked.

"Your father spoke quite proudly of you," replied Tarble, "He seemed to think you were a notable achievement." Appura shook her head.

"I will never understand my father," she said, "Just a few weeks ago, he told me that if I mouthed off at him again, he'd beat the living daylights out of me and then he's boasting about me to a total stranger."

"Saiyans are two-sided coins, at least, according to my wife," Tarble laughed.

"My dad's more like a twenty-sided dice," replied Appura.


	17. Chapter 17 Vigilante Registration Act

Disclaimer: Still don't own Dragonball Z *sigh*

A/N: Feel free to check out my new story 'Sparks: The Legacy of Ezio Auditore', it's an Assassin's Creed fan fiction, something I've never tried before.

Chapter 17

The Vigilante Registration Act

The sound of crying made Vegeta open one eye very slowly. He heard footsteps emerge from Appura's room and thump two doors down the hall way to where the nursery was. Thump, thump, thump. It was Gohan's turn. Appura's footsteps were more of a shuffle. Kabu had been out of hospital for a week now, and though his ki was significantly stronger than it had been, Vegeta's grandson would never be a warrior like the rest of them. His lungs were too weak to cope. According to Bulma, the doctor's suspected he might even develop lung conditions as he got older that would require medication and gentle exercise to maintain his health. No excessive running, no fighting, no flying. The child was, for all intents and purposes, human. Vegeta knew he couldn't really turn his nose up at that notion. His own wife was human, and his son half-human. His grandson had more Saiyan blood than his son. It was just rotten luck that he had been born early. If he'd stayed inside his mother for those final few months, maybe he'd have been strong. Vegeta smiled sleepily. He could almost picture it. The strength of the Saiyans, the image of Vegeta himself, only with Gohan's height. A mighty warrior. There was still time though. Time for Appura to have another son, to provide many more sons, she was only eighteen after all.

The thumping noise of Gohan's sleepy walk down the hall with a grizzling infant told Vegeta it was time to get up. It was the six am feeding. Vegeta hauled himself out of bed, casting a glance over his shoulder at his wife. She was rather unceremoniously sprawled across the bed, legs and arms everywhere, sleeping with her mouth open, a thin trail of drool leaking out the corner. He snorted back laughter. For all the glamour and sophistication she oozed when in the public spotlight, in private, Vegeta was just as likely to find her in an oil-stained t-shirt, sweatpants, barefoot and picking her nose. But that was why he loved her. She had just as many sides to her as he had to himself, something he had overheard his daughter saying just last month. Something about being like a twenty-sided dice. He liked that analogy and had stored it away in his arsenal of witty comebacks for a later date.

He pulled on some sweatpants, his not Bulma's, and a white vest before leaving the room, making sure to slam the door in order to rouse his wife. He wandered down the hallway, stretching, banging six times on both Trunks and Tarble's doors. Gure, being very homesick, had returned to her home planet in the last few days. Tarble had decided to remain on Earth for a whole year in order to train with Vegeta and the others. Vegeta had no qualms about that. It had been the perfect opportunity to wind his daughter up by suggesting that Tarble start with her as 'basic training'. Vegeta plodded into the kitchen to find his daughter already there, tapping away at her laptop whilst her mate leant against the counter behind her. "It's nice," Gohan was saying, "But it's on the far side of town, too far away from work."

"Ok, valid point," Appura said, clicking on a button, "How about this one?" Vegeta saw Gohan's eyes widen.

"Yeah, location wise it's perfect, but can we afford it?" Vegeta raised an eyebrow at that as he poured himself a cup of coffee. Money, they were talking about money, something that had been a taboo subject between the pair ever since Appura had fallen pregnant, and the source of countless arguments about how much Appura had spent on stuff that Kabu would never use.

"You can't, but I can, remember I've got several million zeni sat in the bank, doing nothing except gathering dust and interest," said Appura, "I've bought one house before, why not buy another, outright, no mortgage, no monthly bills to keep a roof over our heads. And it's a five minute flight away for my dad, thirty seconds Instant Transmission for yours." A house! They were talking of moving out. Vegeta could have danced on the spot. Even though the main house of Capsule Corp was very large, its occupancy had doubled quite recently and Vegeta wanted someone out, not that he'd ever say that out loud in case Bulma overheard, in which case, he had little doubt he'd be the one to go. Oh, if only he could think of a way to convince them to take Tarble and the boy. Then it would just be a matter of convincing the woman to put her retiring parents in a home and then Vegeta would be happy.

"I don't want you spending all your money on a house…" Gohan started.

"Oh, save it, Gohan, I had the same lecture off your dad when I tried to give him money," said Appura, "Look, Gohan, I've picked out these house, find one you like and we'll go look at it, if you like it, then we'll buy it." Her face which had briefly hardened softened at Gohan's hurt expression.

"Ok, look," she said, standing and walking up to him, "I know you're kind of old fashioned and want to be the provider and everything, so, consider this as, oh I don't know, my dowry."

"The dowry traditionally comes from…" Gohan trailed off and nodded his head towards Vegeta who was watching the exchange out the corner of his eyes.

"Yeah, well, we're not exactly traditional are we?" Appura said, smiling. Gohan returned the smile.

"Fine, we'll have a look at them," Gohan said, handing their son over to her.

"Thank you," Appura said. She began leaning in towards Gohan, Vegeta immediately averted his gaze only for a beeping noise to end their moment. Vegeta turned to find Gohan fiddling in his pocket and pulling out his cell phone.

"It's from Videl," he said, "She says to put on channel seven." Vegeta frowned. Gohan reached over and turned on the small portable TV that Mrs Briefs liked to have on as background noise. The three leaned over to look at the small screen. It was the news. A General from the army stood in front of the camera, talking to the crowd of reporters. "Hey, I recognise him, he was on the news the morning after Mom and Yamcha's wedding," Appura said. Vegeta shushed her.

"_General Greed!_" A reporter yelled out of the crowd, "_Would you care to explain the Vigilante Registration Act for us please?_"

"_It's pretty self-explanatory,_" explained the General, "_In response to the increasing amount of damage caused by so-called vigilantes such as the Great Saiyaman, this act will make it a criminal offence for vigilantes to act without registering their true identity with the authorities. This way there is accountability for their actions._"

"_But, General, isn't the whole reason the vigilantes are acting because the police and the army can't catch proper criminals?_" called out another reporter. General Greed began turning red.

"_These vigilantes care nothing for the health and safety of citizens; they are merely after the glory. They prevent the police and army from dealing with these criminals in the proper way!_" Greed barked.

"_But what about the petitions to stop this act that was signed by the police officers of four major cities?_"

"_I have seen no petition_;_ there will be no more questions. My final statement is this, any vigilante who acts without registering will be arrested on sight. That includes the Great Saiyaman, Saruo and the Gold Fighters. Good day_." And with that, Greed stomped off the stage.

"That man has no idea what the word 'vigilante' means does he?" Appura said, turning off the TV.

"A registration act? That's really bad news," said Gohan, "And not just for us. If we can't act without being made into a criminal, then people are going to suffer. And they'll want to know how we can fly and how we're so strong."

"Something's off about this whole thing," Vegeta muttered, "Saiyans appear on Earth and when they can't catch us, they try to draw us out by making the people of Earth suspicious of our abilities. I think Kuda is behind this."

"We don't know that, besides, those Saiyans were too few to be more than a scouting party," Appura replied, "Kuda could be years away, even if he's already left, but, yeah, you're right, Dad, something is off here. I think somebody knows we're not human and is trying to draw us out. The best thing we can do is carry on as normal, just minimise the vigilante stuff."

"Agreed," said Vegeta.

"Hey kiddo, knock, knock," Yamcha's voice made Appura turn from her place on the sofa.

"Oh, hey Yamcha," she said before noting the box in his hands, "What's with the box?"

"Well, I was going through your mom's stuff like you asked, and I found all this, thought you might want to keep it," Yamcha replied. He set the box down in front of the sofa. Appura slid off the sofa and sat on the floor, taking the baby monitor with her as Yamcha sat down on the sofa. Bulma walked in as Appura was opening the box, followed by Trunks and Gohan. They sat down and chatted as Appura began to rummage in the box.

"Oh, Kami, I can't believe this is in here!" Appura squealed, pulling her head out the box, brandishing a video tape.

"What is it?" Gohan asked.

"My birthday that Dad crashed, first time I ever met him," Appura said, handing it over. Gohan gave it a cursory glance before putting it in the player. The video started looking at a concrete playground with a long line of trestle tables covered in pink decorations, paper plates and balloons. A sign had been fastened to the chain-link fence behind it that said 'Happy Birthday Appura!' in big letters. The camera swivelled around and showed a very young Appura looking up at the camera. She was wearing a pink princess dress and was showing off a grin with a missing tooth.

"Hello Princess!" came Ima's voice; she was behind the camera, "Happy birthday!" Appura grinned and giggled before running off to the group of children that were gathered near the tables. She was hugging a boy who Gohan guessed was a young Chester. The image blurred and flickered before returning to later that day, Appura was sat in the middle of the table, clapping her hands at the sight of a massive cake that had been set before her. The other children were singing happy birthday as Appura blew out the candles. "Ok, guys, time to open the presents!" Ima called, she had surrendered camera duties to someone. The kids all ran from the table towards the large pile of gifts, wrapped in varying shades of pink. But they had barely reached the pile when there was a mighty crash and the camera shook. It turned back to the tables, which had vanished along with the cake. As the dust cleared, Gohan could make out the outline of Vegeta standing up. "What the hell is that?" cried the person behind the camera, a man.

"Appura's father," Ima replied. She looked pale and drawn. Gohan realized that he'd never seen Ima that scared before, not even the day she died. The dust cleared, and the Saiyan Prince was stood in the debris of the tables.

"I remember this," Appura said, pulling Gohan's attention from the TV.

"So do I," said Vegeta.

"You still owe me a cake," Appura said as the TV showed her and her father stood the far end of the playground to everyone else. She was stood, shaking slightly as her father circled her.

"Wait for it," Appura said, "Three, two, one…" There was a scream from the TV. The Vegeta on the screen had lifted Appura up by her ankle, apparently knocking her head on the concrete as there was red drops coming from her head and Ima was running across the playground screaming at Vegeta that he was an idiot.

"I still have a scar from that," Appura commented as the tape went to static and she turned back to the box, now with Trunks sifting through the contents. The box was filled with videos from Appura's childhood showing school plays, dance recitals and early singing performances, even a couple of her with a band featuring Chester. There were photos too. Photos of Appura as a baby, some of her at school age, some of her with her friends and her mother. One in particular had Trunks in tears of laughter. It was about eight years old, a photo of Vegeta sleeping on the sofa. At the opposite end to him was Appura, also asleep. Trunks was sprawled on Vegeta's chest. "Staged," Vegeta commented, "Bulma put him there."

"Still cute though, you really were exhausted, this must have been when Trunks had colic about six months after Cell," said Bulma, "He had us up all night, well he had me up, when he didn't stop crying because I was asleep, Vegeta got up once or twice out of being annoyed by the noise." Vegeta snorted. Appura looked up at Yamcha.

"Thank you for bringing these to me," she said.

"Anything for you, kiddo," Yamcha replied.

"Read 'em and weep, boys," Videl grinned, placing her cards on the table. The three other squaddies she was playing groaned and threw their cards on the table before reaching into their pockets for their wallets. Videl was just counting her winnings when a coughing noise made her turn around. Her commanding officer was stood there! He was here, in the mess hall that stank of sweat and cigarettes. She immediately stood up straight and shot off a salute.

"Sir," she said.

"At ease, Satan," he said, "I've been sent by the General. He wants to see you." Videl swallowed nervously. She hadn't met the General yet, only seen him across the training ground once in a poor light. She hoped she hadn't been caught sending that message to Gohan this morning. The Vigilante Registration Act didn't have any implications for her, having hung up her cape well over a year ago, but it did have consequences for Gohan and Appura, and more importantly for Kabu, their infant son. She'd seen a picture of the child from the day he'd been brought home from the hospital. On her last day leave she had bought an adorable Great Saiyaman baby suit and sent it to them. Gohan would find it funny at least. But now she was wondering if she had left a trail, connecting her to two vigilantes.

She followed her commanding officer out the mess hall and across the base towards the General's office. Years of practice and months of training were allowing her to keep her face blank but inside, she was terrified. Had she put herself and the others in danger? The officer stopped out the General's office door and knocked three times. "Send Satan in," came a voice. The officer opened the door and stood aside. Videl nervously stepped into the office. The door shut behind her.

The office was bigger than it looked from the outside but was illuminated by a single light that hung in the middle of the ceiling over the General's desk. The corners of the room were shrouded in shadow and Videl had an inkling that people were hiding in the darkness. The General was sat behind his desk made of highly varnished and polished mahogany with a brass plate bearing his name 'General Rufus Greed'. Two chairs were sat in front of the desk, one of which was already occupied.

"Ah, Videl, how nice to finally meet you," the General said, "Please, sit down, I was just talking with your father." Videl hurried forward a little too quickly. Her father, sat in the chair, looked terrified. More scared than Videl had ever seen him before.

"What's going on here?" Videl asked the General, "Why is my father here?" She turned back to Hercule.

"Are you okay Daddy? Are you hurt?" Hercule seemed incapable of answering her, his eyes kept darting to the corners and he whimpered.

"I've brought your father here to ensure your co-operation," replied the General, he too was watching the corners of the room, "Now, Videl, tell me. Does the word 'Saiyan' mean anything to you?"


	18. Chapter 18 The War Resumes

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball z

**Chapter 18**

**The War Resumes**

Videl tried not to panic. How had the last two weeks gone by so quickly? And she hadn't been alone for a second; there had been a guard with her twenty-four hours a day, her cell phone confiscated, her days off suspended and her father held on the base. She had no choice. She hated herself; she felt that she had betrayed Gohan and his family. But there was still hope. Hope that she had underestimated the Saiyans abilities. She wasn't strong enough to fight them.

"We're approaching the target, get ready," the commander ordered. She sighed and pulled her night vision goggles down. She truly loathed herself. She looked through the front window of the truck. There was Capsule Corp, dark save for the security lights that promptly went out as the power was cut. She turned and looked at the other soldiers in the truck. None of them were handcuffed. They were all there willingly, putting their lives on the line for their planet, or so they believed. 'Idiots,' Videl thought, 'They're not laying their lives down, they're bowing to our future masters.'

"Satan, don't stray from my side, or I'll put a bullet in you," said the commander. Videl nodded. That had been the threat of choice for the past two weeks, since General Greed had asked her about Saiyans. She had tried to deny any knowledge but then the pictures had come out. Pictures of her with Appura, with Appura's tail on show, Vegeta in his armour. Pictures of all of them in their Saiyan gear at the funeral of Ima's mother, of Goten and Trunks displaying their strength and Goku carrying entire trees on his shoulder. She couldn't deny it. They had cornered her, threatening her father in the process.

The truck stopped and the soldiers piled out. General Greed was there already. "The Energy Shields are already activated, they'll prevent the Saiyans from being able to detect you," he announced, "And our tech guys should be hacked into the surveillance cameras in a matter of minutes. You are aiming for the fifth floor, that's the bedrooms." Videl looked up at the house in the distance. She had spent a few nights in those rooms, once in Gohan's arms. That had been the most embarrassing part, when they had started asking about her relationship with Gohan. When had she first gotten involved with him? When had she started sleeping with him? Had there been any 'accidents'? They had wanted to know if Gohan had gotten her pregnant at any point. More embarrassingly they had started asking if there had been any indications she would be passed on to Goku or Vegeta, or if either of the two older men had ever made a pass at her. Videl shuddered at the thought. The very idea seemed wrong. Then they had wanted to know how Gohan's Saiyan heritage had affected him in bed. Aside from losing control once or twice, it hadn't affected him in any way that Videl could tell. Then again, she had no basis for comparison. She had scolded herself for running away from Gohan at the first sign of trouble. If she had stayed with him, maybe it would be her up in those bedrooms, maybe it would be her cradled safely in his arms…maybe it would have been her child whom Gohan had fathered. She blinked and shook her head. No, she had to keep a clear head, now was not the time for regrets. She had made her decision. If she was meant to be with Gohan, fate would have led her back to him before Appura had gotten there.

"Security footage is online," said a voice. Videl peered around the commander's shoulder. A set of screens had been set up next to a truck. There were six screens. On one were Vegeta and Bulma, Bulma's parents on another, Goku and Chi-Chi, Gohan and Appura, Trunks and Goten, and finally Kabu asleep in his crib. Videl felt another twinge of guilt.

"Alpha team with me," said the commander, "That means you, Satan." Videl felt a tug on her arm and was pulled along to the main doors.

The doors slid open as the technical team overrode the household systems. Alpha team moved in. They were on edge; Videl could see it in their faces. They needed to reign it in otherwise the Energy Shields they had been given would be useless. That would be bad. Their agitated Ki's would wake the sleeping Saiyans upstairs, which would be very bad indeed. The one thing that seemed to be going Videl's way was the fact that the team was taking the long way round the house. It gave her more time, more time to figure out a way to escape, to warn the Saiyans. They had reached the stairs. As they were climbing, Videl saw the beads of sweat on the commander's forehead. His eyes were twitching from side to side. He was starting to panic. The team had closed in on itself. Videl took her chance and slipped away from them, finding a staircase hidden in a hall closet. She ran up the next three flights of stairs, arriving on the fifth floor, the family bedrooms. She was just emerging from an identical closet when she heard a crackle on her radio. 'Satan, where the hell are you?' the General hissed. She slammed her hand onto the radio. She swivelled around and saw a familiar panel on the wall. She bent down, switching off her radio. She tapped the button. "Isis?" she whispered.

"_Greetings, Videl Satan_," the internal communications system replied.

"Isis, activate the Home Invasion Alarm, authority code, Vegas Sierra One, confidential," Videl whispered, hoping the old code Bulma had once given her still worked.

"_Authority code recognised. Home Invasion Alarm activated in five, four…_" Videl quickly swivelled back around and fled back into the secret staircase. She was on the fourth floor when a high-pitched alarm started blaring through the house. She had just made it out the second floor closet as the Alpha team reappeared with Beta team right behind them.

* * *

><p>Son Goku was up the second the alarm sounded. He immediately raced for the stairway just a few feet from the door of the guest bedroom he was sleeping in. He was in a panic. He could sense no unusual Ki's in the house but knew something had to have triggered the alarm. He could sense Vegeta close behind him. He was just stepping out onto third floor when a spark caught his eye, a flash of green. He gave a yell and stumbled backwards onto Vegeta as a shower of bullets peppered the wall right behind where he had been standing. The bullets stopped and Goku heard clicking. He looked at the wall. A bright pink liquid was oozing out of the cracks in the wall. He sniffed the air. Something about that liquid smelt bad. There was a gleam of silver on the floor. He quickly snatched it up and ran back up the stairs with Vegeta quickly behind him.<p>

"What the hell is going on? Why didn't we sense those soldiers entering the house?" Vegeta barked as the others began appearing.

"I don't know, but that pink stuff, it just reeks of bad, like some part of me is saying to keep away from it," replied Goku, "And then there's this." He opened his hand and revealed the sliver of metal he'd found on the floor. Bulma cast a quick glance at it before doing a double-take.

"That's impossible," she said, "Capsule Corp developed that alloy, and I'd recognise it on sight. Look at the shine, but you can still see the grain."

"What is it for?" Vegeta asked.

"We developed it for a World Army contract, this is the strongest alloy we have on this planet," Bulma explained, "Stronger than the Capsule Ships we made for going to Namek."

"How strong?" Goku asked. Bulma looked him right in the eye.

"Strong enough to pierce Saiyan skin easily," she said.

"Shit!" Vegeta cursed, "They've come for us. They've found out who we are and have come for us." A small cry drew their attention to the others. Appura was cradling Kabu in her arms, trying to sooth her distressed son.

"Vegeta, if that pink stuff is what I think it is, and their bullets are made of this stuff," Goku said, "They're probably not planning on taking us alive. There's too much interference coming off whatever is blocking their ki for me to use Instant Transmission and we've got to get the kids out."

"Agreed," said Vegeta, "Let's go. We can force our way past the soldiers easily enough."

"Take the closet stair just in case they're on their way up," said Bulma, "Chi-Chi and I can give them the run-around, buy you some time."

"Thanks Bulma," said Goku.

"Thank me later, now go," Bulma ordered her eldest friend.

"Mom, I'm scared," said Trunks.

"It'll be ok, son," Bulma said, bending down to hug him, "I'm a well-known human civilian. I'm not worth the hassle they'd get from killing me. I'll be fine." She gave Trunks a hug and a kiss.

"Now all of you go!" she barked as she stood up. She watched as the Saiyans disappeared down the stairs. She turned to Chi-Chi.

"C'mon, we've got to go make some noise," she said.

* * *

><p>"I don't like this Kakarot," Vegeta muttered under his breath, "I don't like not knowing how many there are or where they are."<p>

"Neither do I," Goku said as they reached the bottom step, "But if those bullets can pierce our skin, we have to be careful." He carefully opened the door and looked around.

"All clear and it's a clear run to the front door," he said.

"Dad, that doesn't seem good," Gohan said, looking up from Kabu.

"No it doesn't, but we have no choice," said Goku.

"No choice except to walk out the front door straight into the arms of our enemy," Vegeta spat.

"C'mon, let's go," said Goku. He pushed open the door. He was followed by Gohan, Appura and Kabu, Goten, Trunks, Tarble with Vegeta bringing up the rear. The Saiyans quietly picked their way across the hall, stopping every so often to listen for the soldiers. The only noise they heard was Bulma and Chi-Chi shouting and throwing things. They were mere feet away from the door when Appura froze. She could hear something outside.

"What's wrong, Appura?" Tarble asked.

"Oh no, not good," she replied, barging forwards past Goku. She led them up to the doors which opened. Dozens of helicopters surrounded the house, the combined force of their spinning blades whipping the air up causing Appura's hair to fly about. There were shouts from the soldiers that littered the yard. "Shit, we'll never get past all of them," said Gohan, "Back inside now!" The Saiyans turned and ran back into the house.

"Ok, new plan," said Goku as they ran back to the main hall way.

"There's a secret escape tunnel underneath the kitchen floor," Appura said, "If we have enough time, we can all get through it."

"There isn't enough time," Vegeta said, "Those humans outside I can sense and they're coming for us!"

"Then I say the kids go through the tunnel," said Goku, "Where does it lead, Appura?"

"Outside the city," Appura replied, "We'd be able to just fly away."

"Sounds good, you and Gohan will take the boys, as soon as you are out of the city, you go to Master Roshi's," said Goku, "Your dad, Tarble and I will hold them off."

"Dad…" Gohan started.

"Don't argue with me son, I will find you there," said Goku, "Your mom and I will come to Master Roshi's. We will find you."

"But Dad…"

"No buts," said Goku, "Look, you grew up without me around, and as well as you turned out, and I don't want Kabu to go through the same thing. You're a father now Gohan, Kabu is your priority; he needs his father to protect him." Gohan didn't say a word.

"Go! Go! To the tunnel!" Goku ordered. Appura turned on her heel and ran for the kitchen, Goten and Trunks right behind her. Gohan lingered for a moment before following.

Appura was right; there was a secret tunnel under the kitchen. She merely had to touch a panel by the kitchen door and the internal system opened it for her. Goten and Trunks went in first. Appura handed Kabu to Gohan before lowering herself in. Gohan handed Kabu to her before jumping in himself. The hatch sealed itself behind him.

"They'll be fine," came Appura's voice in the darkness.

"I hope you're right," he said.

* * *

><p>Vegeta watched as his son, his daughter and his grandson vanished into the kitchen. He turned and looked at the younger Saiyans next to him. Tarble looked scared. Kakarot looked solemnly at Vegeta.<p>

"You know we're not likely to get through this in one piece," he said.

"I know," the Saiyan Prince replied, "But I won't go down without a fight. We probably should have sent Tarble with them."

"No!" said Tarble suddenly, "No, the King's second son always protects the bloodline of the first. It is my duty and my honour to protect your children, brother." Vegeta almost smiled. The three turned and faced the door.

"Well, let's not keep them waiting," he said, powering up to Super Saiyan. Kakarot followed suit. All three ran at the door, bursting out and taking to the air. The city seemed to burst with life after the apparent emptiness of the house. All those Ki's fluttering about. It almost blinded Vegeta's mind. He took out two of the helicopters swiftly, Kakarot took out three, and Tarble managed one. The soldiers on the ground opened fire.

Vegeta dodged those strange bullets the humans had easily. The helicopters soon opened fire too, forcing the three Saiyans down onto the ground. Vegeta saw a soldier lining up a shot at Tarble's back. His instincts kicked in. "Tarble, look out!" he shouted, running over and knocking his brother to the side. The shot rang out as Tarble hit the ground. Vegeta felt a peculiar sensation, made even stranger by the wide-eyed look Tarble was giving him. He looked down. His red Saiyan blood was staining his clothes. He touched it with his fingers. As he did so, he could almost feel his ki falling away from his grasp. He fell to his knees as the other Saiyans stared in disbelief. Two more shots rang out in quick succession and two more Saiyans fell to the ground as Bulma and Chi-Chi were pulled from the house in handcuffs.


	19. Chapter 19 Flee

Disclaimer: Still don't own Dragonball Z

**Chapter 19**

**Flee**

Gohan stared blankly at the screen in front of him, wishing that it was all a bad dream, that none of this was true. But it was. It was there before him. The image of his mother, handcuffed, being dragged away by soldiers, along with Bulma and the pair being tossed literally into the back of trucks and being driven away. The image changed. They were showing it again. His hand left Goten's sleeping head and he ran it through his hair. How many times more were they going to show this? The moments when the soldier's strange bullets had hit his father. He had been floating high in the air above Capsule Corp when the bullet had hit him in the shoulder. He had jerked and frozen, his hair changing from the golden colour of his Super Saiyan form back to its usual black, his eyes returning to their normal colour too. Then Son Goku had started to fall from the air, crashing into the ground. He was the last to fall.

Vegeta and Tarble had already been on the ground when they were hit and were already surrounded by soldiers when Goku had fallen. It was what had happened next that broke Gohan's heart. He watched the footage of his father trying to stand up. He couldn't even get up off his knees. All his strength was gone. Something terrible was hidden in those bullets. Gohan couldn't sense his father's ki anywhere. He watched as the soldiers lifted Goku up by his arms and threw him into another truck, along with Vegeta and Tarble. Whatever was in those bullets, it drained the men of everything that made them who they were, leaving them weak and helpless. Goten was just beginning to stir on the sofa next to Gohan as the programme returned to the news studio.

"_It has been revealed by World Army officials that while three targets were apprehended, five more escaped. They have been identified as popular singer, Apple Vee, or Appura Vegeta, her fiancée Son Gohan, their younger brothers, Trunks Brief and Son Goten, and their infant son, Son Kabu,_" the reported sat behind the desk said, "_If anyone has any information on the fugitive aliens whereabouts, they need to call the number on screen._"

Gohan felt sick. These soldiers had come into his home and ripped his family into pieces. His mother was imprisoned, along with his father. His mate's family was just as broken. Appura. She had broken into tears at the sight of her father being felled. She had compared it to seeing a superhero losing their powers; it was like he wasn't her father anymore.

"Gohan, I don't understand," Goten said, pulling on Gohan's sleeve, "What did we do that was so bad? Why were those soldiers trying to hurt us? And what have they done to Mom and Dad?"

"I don't know," Gohan lied, his voice hoarse, "I don't know what we did to make them fear us." He hated lying to Goten. He knew damn well what they had done to make the soldiers do what they did. They existed. They had killed Cell, they had saved people from falling buildings, displayed their strength over the years. The human race feared what they did not understand, and they did not understand that the Saiyans weren't here to hurt them, but to live here in peace and quiet. The humans were scared, and now they were hunting down a young family and two little boys because of what they were.

"Gohan?" Goten questioned.

"Go back to sleep, Goten," Gohan said, his eyes not leaving the screen as the images of their faces appeared on the screen. There was a live video feed coming from outside Capsule Corp. The soldiers were still there and he had just seen Videl.

* * *

><p>Two weeks later…<p>

Vegeta hated this feeling. Not being able to crush these human maggots into dust, teaching them a lesson for disrespecting the Prince of All Saiyans. He could barely stand and walk now. Daily doses of that pink liquid kept them unable to channel their ki, unable to access it and their Saiyan strength. Daily doses of humiliation as he was pinned to the ground so the men in white coats could stick that needle in his neck. He knew Tarble and Kakarot were struggling just as much as he was. Kakarot was too weak to even struggle away from the needle that he feared so much. There was a klaxon and their door began to slide open. Odd, the dose was not due for another ten hours by his reckoning; maybe they were upping the dose in case the Saiyans bodies began to fight back. Six soldiers walked in and stood two by each Saiyan.

Then the Satan girl walked in. Her uniform indicated her recent promotion. Vegeta barely suppressed a growl at the sight of her. He had seen her at the house, seen her with the soldiers that had been firing at them. Damn her! She was supposed to be their friend! She had come by to try to apologise, to explain, and to plead with them. Vegeta had managed to summon a smirk when even Kakarot had rolled over on his bed to face away from her, leaving a hurt expression on the girl's face. Even Kakarot, the only Saiyan with a heart bigger than his stomach, couldn't forgive her for what she had done. Leading a team into the house, telling them about the Saiyans abilities, their numbers and even how to hack into the houses security systems.

"Vegeta, Tarble, Goku, I've been told to escort you to see General Greed," she said, staring at the blank wall ahead of her. The cell was plain with white walls and a grey reinforced steel door at one end. It had four green beds in it. Clearly they had been planning to hold Gohan in here as well.

"Stand," the girl snapped when none of the Saiyans moved. They had worked out how to use their muscles and slowly regained the ability to walk over the last few days and she knew it. Vegeta had seen her watching them through the grate on the door.

"I said, stand!" she barked and with that each soldier grabbed an arm and yanked the three Saiyans to their feet.

"Good," said Videl, her voice shaking slightly, "Now, follow me." She turned on her heel and marched out the room. Reluctantly, they followed. She led them down the hall; they could hear Bulma and Chi-Chi yelling at someone in the distance. Vegeta smirked when his wife's voice became even more audible. Someone had displeased her and she was making sure they knew it. The walk seemed to take forever but Vegeta knew they were merely moving from one side of a building to another. He could tell by the windows. This place, their prison, was in the middle of a city, disguised as an office block. No doubt the humans thought Gohan and Appura would begin tearing military bases apart looking for them. But for two weeks, there hadn't been a peep out of the pair, or the younger boys. They were being sensible and lying low. They finally arrive at their destination, a room within the middle of the building. Vegeta could already tell there would be no windows in there. Videl swiped a card on a panel next to the door. There was a beep and the door opened. She pushed the door open but did not enter. "Go in," she said. Vegeta felt a prod on his back and stumbled forward. Kakarot and Tarble were pushed into the room after him and the door quickly slammed shut and locked.

Vegeta looked around. The room seemed massive, but his view was probably skewed by the nine by six of his cell. It was dark, but light was coming from somewhere. Vegeta looked up and realised that the room had no ceiling. It merely opened up onto the outside. If only they could tap into their ki, they could fly out. Then three specks appeared in the light above them and began descending. Vegeta took a couple of shaky steps back as the three specks turned into shapes of Saiyans. They landed in front of the other three Saiyans, but their faces were shrouded in darkness. The two lines looked at each other for a moment before the centre one laughed, "How disrespectful! Do they not know they should kneel before their King?" Suddenly more Saiyans dropped from the roof. One pressed a button on the wall that shut the roof whilst three more forced Vegeta, Kakarot and Tarble onto their knees. A light came on, almost blinding Vegeta. He blinked and slowly his world came back into focus. Stood before him, dressed in blood-red armour was an almost identical figure to his father, but with red hair.

"Well, hello, little nephews," said the red-haired Saiyan, "I am your King, Kuda."

"You are not the true King, our father was!" Tarble snapped, "And my brother will be King!"

"Silence!" barked Kuda, "Clearly my brother neglected to tell you all of his history. Did you know we are twin brothers?"

"Our father was still the eldest," Vegeta growled.

"How do you know? No one cared to make note which one was born first, except our mother, but she died soon after," Kuda said, smirking, "Now, let your uncle tell you a stor…" His attention suddenly focussed on Kakarot.

"Who's he?" he asked someone over his left shoulder. A shadow moved and came into the light. Vegeta tensed at the sight of that frog-like face. Puchin.

"His name is Kakarot, son of Bardock," Puchin croaked, "He is the father of the Princess's mate. He is a third-class."

"Ah, yes, I remember Bardock, and I think he remembers me," Kuda chuckled, "I left a nice reminder on his face. Now where was I, ah yes, my story. Well, you see, when we were growing up your father, Vegeta, and I had an agreement that I was the eldest. I was always bigger than he was when we were young, bigger, stronger, and more skilful with the women of our world too." Vegeta had the urge to roll his eyes or vomit.

"But the moment our dear father left this life, he suddenly decided that he was the eldest and challenged my claim," Kuda continued, "That blasted civil war tore our people in two, claimed millions of lives and would never have happened if your father had had the pride and honour to fulfil our agreement. I would have made him Captain of the Elite Guard, a title which would have passed down his bloodline if only he hadn't been so impulsive."

"You ran him off the planet!" Vegeta spat.

"I did what I had to in order to bring stability, I put my people's lives ahead of my own wants and desires," Kuda spat back.

"Then why did Puchin get involved?" Vegeta growled.

"Puchin agreed with me that it was time that our people moved out of the darkness, a darkness that the Temple of Thuranz was keeping us in, imprisoning beautiful women in a so-called Temple and allowing the soldiers to take their pleasure with them was not the vision I had for our world," replied Kuda, "However, the curse on Priest Kabu's life was uncalled for. As was the deaths of his daughters."

"Well I hope Puchin is happy, he finally got the last one, your soldiers killed Ima for no damned reason," Kakarot finally spoke.

"No reason? She was standing between them and the Princess I intended to save," Kuda said.

"No, she was protecting her pregnant daughter," Kakarot replied.

"I think that's enough of a history lesson for one day, it is time I told you why I came here," Kuda said, drawing himself up to his full height, "It is my intention to save the Princess Appura."

"Save her?" said Tarble, "From what? A happy life with her mate and son?"

"To save her from the shame of being mated and bonded to a half-breed," said Kuda. Vegeta had almost felt sympathy for Kuda until that point.

"Filthy, disgusting half-breeds, her son as well," Kuda continued, "No, I will capture Appura. I will kill the half-breeds. Princess Appura will be cleansed and reintegrated into the Royal Family of Vegeta Prime. Vegeta Prime has been without a Queen for too long."

Vegeta felt sick to his stomach. If he'd had the strength he would have ripped Kuda's head from his neck. "Yes," Kuda said, his voice quiet as if he were day dreaming, "Have Puchin cleanse her, take as my mate, and make her my Queen. She has the blood of Thuranz flowing through her veins. She will give me sons who are Super Saiyans, the first Super Saiyan in a thousand years." Kakarot looked like he was about to say something but Vegeta sent him a warning look. Kuda clearly didn't know that both of them had achieved Super Saiyan along with Appura and the boys. It could be to their advantage.

"My daughter will never agree to be your Queen," Vegeta growled.

"Who said she had a choice?" Kuda smirked.

* * *

><p>King Kai wrung his hands as he looked down over Earth. "Oh this is bad, this is very very bad," he mumbled, "I have to do something. The Earth is in danger and her special forces are scattered. Oh, what do I do? What do I do?"<p> 


	20. Chapter 20 On Their Heads

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z

A/N: Thanks for being so patient with me guys. I've been really busy at work recently but I am currently on holiday so will be typing furiously to get this story written.

**Chapter 20**

**On Their Heads**

Yamcha stared at the screen in front of him. It was all he'd been able to do for the last three weeks. He felt lost and helpless, knowing that the Saiyans were locked away. He was waiting, waiting for the soldiers to come for him. He had no idea what was going on. The Earth's Special Forces had gone into lockdown. They weren't communicating, cutting the ties swiftly before more of them were discovered. Piccolo hadn't left the Lookout since the night the soldiers had attacked Capsule Corp. Tien and Chiaotzu were still hidden in the mountains and Yajirobe was also in hiding. Yamcha wished he could just disappear, but like Bulma he too was in the public spotlight. To vanish so suddenly would arouse suspicion and he knew he was already high on the most wanted list for his connection to Bulma and Goku as well as the fact he was married to Ima.

Today was the day it seemed. The news had revealed that Ima was 'a dangerous alien' and that the army had been forced to take her out when she turned violent. Yamcha's stomach turned. They were lying. Lying and not telling the world that other, far more dangerous aliens were the ones behind Ima's death. He had heard cars pull up outside his building a few minutes before and could sense the Ki's of his neighbours swiftly leaving the premises. They had come for him. It had taken them long enough to work it out. He could hear someone breathing outside his front door. 'Well,' he thought, 'I'm right here, come and get me.' He put down his spoon and pushed his food away from him. Seconds later, his door flew open and in poured soldiers dressed in black armour. Yamcha just looked at them with a blank expression save for a sneer aimed at Videl Satan who was stood in the hallway, a sorrowful look on her face.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile in South City…<p>

"Get in, get out…" Krillin muttered to himself as he kept his head down, "Get in, get out…" Typical, just when he wanted to get his supplies and go, the store was packed. He pulled his baseball cap further down over his face to hide his identity. He and his friends may have gone into lockdown but that didn't mean they weren't being looked for. He paused in the aisle for a moment and looked over his shoulders. No one seemed to be following him. He reached out and grabbed the packet he needed before turning and quickly headed for the cashier. He paid all without a hitch. 'Mission complete,' he thought to himself, 'that was easy.' He grinned as he walked out the store. His grim faltered. How had he missed that? A road block twenty feet down the road complete with helicopters watching the sky. Right in the direction he needed to go. A soldier at the road block met Krillin's gaze. Krillin quickly looked away as he saw the soldier peer at a poster next to him. He turned and marched in the opposite direction. He heard the soldier's voice behind him, "I've got a visual on suspect twenty aka Krillin. He's heading north on Main Street, on foot."

Shit! He'd been recognised. He picked up his pace slightly but could feel the soldier and several others begin to tail him. Double shit! One of the soldier's radios crackled and they responded.

"Krillin!" a voice called. Krillin froze. He could almost feel the soldier's weapon pointing at the back of his neck. He'd seen the news. He'd seen those things take down Goku and Vegeta. He clenched his fist but otherwise didn't move a muscle. He could feel the soldier advancing on him. Civilians were being held back at either end. Damn these guys moved fast. Krillin was stood stock still in the middle of the road, being watched by hundreds of eyes. He felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder. He looked at it. It was the soldier's hand. "Bad move, pal," Krillin muttered. The hand was suddenly wrenched from him. Krillin heard the soldier scream as he was tossed across the road. Krillin looked up and saw Gohan stood next to him. "Time to go," Gohan said.

"Really? You think so?" Krillin mumbled sarcastically as he saw the other soldiers staring dumbfounded at Gohan's Super Saiyan form. Krillin took a couple of running steps before he took off. Gohan paused a moment longer, but it was a moment too long. One of the other soldiers took a shot. He felt a searing pain as the bullet entered his lower leg.

"Gohan!" Krillin cried, expecting to see Gohan fall to the ground. But he didn't. His hair and eyes flickered back to their normal colour and he dipped a couple of feet but he stayed airborne.

"But…how…" Krillin asked. Gohan shook his head as his face screwed up in pain.

"Let's just get the hell out of here!" he barked and the pair took off, quickly losing the helicopters.

* * *

><p>"What do you mean 'it didn't work'?!" General Greed screamed. Kami, Videl hated it when he literally screamed at her.<p>

"Exactly what I said, sir," she said firmly, "Son Gohan was shot with a Hakai bullet but was still able to fly."

"How the hell was that possible?" Greed continued to scream, "That Hakai stuff is supposed to block them from accessing their Saiyan strength! The Saiyans themselves gave us it!"

"Perhaps that's the problem," Videl suggested, "He's not Saiyan. He's a Hybrid."

"Perhaps you're right," said Greed, now much calmer, "I should tell the Saiyans."

"No," said Videl quickly.

"No?!" asked Greed, "I'm already holding back that our prisoners can do this 'Super Saiyan' transformation from King Kuda and Puchin. Now you want me to fail to tell them that the Hybrids are partially immune to the effects of the Hakai?"

"Information is power," Videl stated, "And they already have a physical advantage over us. I say, we keep this to ourselves until absolutely necessary."

"You have a plan there Satan?"

"Yes sir," she replied, "Have the Briefs woman work on getting around the Hybrid's immunity. She should do it if we say it is to bring her son in safely. Trunks is headstrong like his father, goes in all guns blazing."

"And then what?" Greed asked, intrigued.

"Well, I say we get the public involved," said Videl, "Circulate the faces of the fugitives on prime time news. Have the public find them. Then, when they've been found, we tell the Saiyans about the Hybrids immunity. We'll send them in. The Hybrids will turn Super Saiyan; rip Kuda and his men apart. Then we give them a dose of the new Hakai, load them onto a ship and blast them off into space. Problem solved. No more Saiyans on Earth."

Oh yeah?" said Greed, "What if they decide to come back?"

"Why should they? They'll have nothing to come back to," Videl said firmly. Greed grunted.

"Fine," he said, "We'll do it your way. You know them far better than the rest of us." Videl barely supressed a grin. Yes, the plan was coming together perfectly.

* * *

><p>"What do you mean I can't speak to the Kai?" King Kai spluttered.<p>

"I'm sorry," said the steward, "But the Grand Supreme Kai is busy. Haven't you heard about what's happening on Earth?"

"OF COURSE I HAVE, YOU IDIOT! WHAT DO YOU THINK I WANT TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT?!" King Kai yelled.

"Well, there's no need for that," mumbled the Steward.

"No, wait, I…oh nuts!" King Kai mumbled as the Grand Supreme Kai's steward vanished before his eyes, "Me and my mouth." He let out a sigh.

"I wish Goku was still here," he whispered, "He'd have managed to talk his way in."

* * *

><p>"You're leaving?" Krillin asked, leaning against the door frame of Kame House's only bedroom.<p>

"Yes," said Gohan as he pulled things into a backpack.

"Do you think that's wise?"

"Wiser than staying here," said Gohan, "We can't hide our ki forever. And when one of us slips up, and believe me, one of us will, the Saiyans will be banging on your door. We need to leave, for everyone's safety."

"Where will you go?" Krillin asked.

"I don't know, maybe Mount Paozu, maybe Dende's," Gohan said as he folded up some of the baby clothes 18 had fetched from a thrift store for Kabu.

"If you go to Dende, he should be able to hide your ki so you can all let off some steam," said Krillin, "But what about Kabu? The Lookout is a long way away from anything. What will you do when you run out of diapers?" Gohan paused for a moment and looked over at the diapers in the corner.

"I don't know," he mumbled, "I'll beg, borrow, steal, anything. But we can't stay here. South City made it abundantly clear. They aren't just looking for us; they're looking for every single one of the Z fighters. If we stay together, we'll get caught together, and then it'll all be over. And she will have won."

"And by 'she', you mean whom? Videl?" Krillin knew he'd hit the nail on the head when the young father's shoulders tensed.

"Look, Gohan, I know what it looked like, her being at Capsule Corp when your dad was taken, and then again at Yamcha's place," said Krillin, "But did you ever stop to think that maybe…"

"I don't want to hear it Krillin," Gohan spat as he shoved a few more clothes into the pack, "She's dead to me, and if I ever find her, she will be dead. She betrayed us all. I let her know all my secrets and she sold them all to the highest bidder at the first opportunity."

"Ok, ok," said Krillin, raising his hands, "I just want to remind you that there are two sides to every story before you do something you later regret." He turned to leave.

"Krillin, wait," Gohan called. Krillin slowly turned around.

"I wanted to thank you," Gohan said, "You could have turned Appura and me away when we showed up on your doorstep at three in the morning. You could have told us you were protecting your family and we would have understood. But you didn't. You took us in." Krillin walked over and sat down next to Gohan on the temporary bed. He leant forward, resting his forearms on his knees.

"Gohan," he said, "I would never have turned you away. You are my family. Your Dad, he's my brother in everything except blood. I know that if anything were to happen to me, and 18 were on the run with Marron, your Dad would take them in in a heartbeat. Now remember kiddo, if you need anything, come to me. And we'll try to avoid another South City incident, ok?" Gohan smiled for the first time since they had run from the house.

"Thanks Krillin," he said.

"You're welcome, buddy," replied Krillin.


	21. Chapter 21 Desperation

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z

Chapter 21

Desperation

The alarm ringing woke Goku up. Grogginess was one of the many side effects of the serum they were injected with daily. How long had they been stuck here now? Ten, eleven months, was it? Almost a year anyways and it had been nine months since there had been any reported sightings of Appura and the boys. They'd gone to ground somewhere. But there had been plenty of sightings of Gohan recently. He'd been popping up all over the place, leading the army on a wild goose chase. He was up to something, Goku was certain. Perhaps his genius son had come up with a plan to free him from this nine by six slice of hell. Life in a small room with two Saiyan princes was no picnic. Vegeta, lacking his usual strength, was even more abrasive than normal and frustrated too. He was taking his frustration out on Tarble. Goku was too big for Vegeta to push around, but, limited as it was, Vegeta did have some physical advantages over his younger brother and was making full use of them. He wasn't coping well with the claustrophobic conditions they had been living in. He wasn't sleeping much either. He was still attempting to do training, even though they couldn't even run if they had the room. Their muscles would only allow them to walk and live.

"Wa time ziz it?" came the even groggier response to the noise from Tarble. He seemed to be suffering the most from it, not even capable of getting out of bed some days.

"Six," replied Vegeta from where he lay prone on the floor, exhausted by the one and a half sit-ups he was able to do each day, "The guards have just changed. That alarm means they've found someone. Looks like Gohan's reappeared again. Wonder into which set of mountains he'll lead them this time." The klaxon sounded and their door rumbled open. Three doctors and six soldiers came in, making the room very cramped. The soldiers were merely a precaution now. The Saiyans had long given up attempting to fight back now. They merely leaned their head to the right now to get the daily ritual over and done with, Goku still screwing up his eyes to avoid looking at the damn thing. The doctors quickly left as the Saiyans rubbed their necks. The soldiers didn't. "What?" barked Vegeta, looking at them.

"Get up. Captain Videl has sent orders for you to be brought to the control room," said the soldier on his left. 'Videl, huh?' Goku thought, 'Wonder what she's up to now?' He stood and left the room, flanked by the two soldiers. Vegeta, despite being weakened, still stood straight and proud. Goku just sort of slumped along. Tarble needed help just staying on his feet. The walk to the control room seemed to take forever, as if time had slowed down. But when they walked through the door, it was as if time suddenly sped back up again. People were running everywhere, almost in a state of panic. In the middle of it all, as if she were in the eye of the storm, was Videl, stood straight, her hands behind her back. She didn't move a muscle, she didn't even turn around. She merely nodded her head to some chairs behind her with chains on them. The soldiers marched them over to the chairs and chained them to them. Goku flexed his arms uselessly against the chains.

"Captain, we have a visual from the UAVs," a woman called across the room.

"Put it on the big screen," said Videl calmly. The massive screen in front of them flickered into life, Goten's face looking right at it.

"Goten," Goku muttered under his breath. His son didn't have the same hair as him anymore but there was denying he was Goku's son. There was a brief moment where it looked like father and son's eyes met before Goten went Super Saiyan and the screen went black. "Compensate!" Videl barked. A second later the screen filled with eight different pictures but all showing the same thing. The last of the Saiyans had come out of hiding. Goten and Trunks were closest to the UAVs, Appura was in front of them and Gohan was in front of her.

"What the hell are they doing?" Vegeta muttered.

"Lock targets and fire at will," Videl ordered in a cold, calm voice.

"Locking targets," replied a voice, "Target, Appura, locked. Firing." But no sooner had the soldier finished that word that Appura dropped something she was carrying in her arms and turned on the UAVs as Goten raced down to catch it.

"What did she drop?" Videl ordered.

"I don't know Captain, these UAVs didn't get a lock on it," replied a man.

"Well, where the hell are they?"

"Just south of Ginger Town, captain," the man said as another screen went black. On screen, a flying game of Keep Away was unfolding, with the UAVs playing the role of It. One by one the screens went black as Appura and the others took them out. When they had only one left, just as they were heading out over Ginger Town, Videl calmly ordered for them to drop a surveillance probe.

* * *

><p>"Haha! We did it!" cheered Goten, "They're blind."<p>

"Don't get too cocky, Goten," warned Gohan, "No celebrating until the job is done. Appura, how's the package? I don't think they worked out what it is."

"He's fine," Appura replied, looking down at her son, wrapped safely up in a warm blanket, "Let's hope this plan works and they think we're only sending a distress call."

"I don't know how long this plan will work for," said Gohan, "Videl isn't stupid. She knows that I know there is no one close enough to Earth to get that message inside a year, and then they've got to get here."

"Let's just hope she thinks we're that desperate," Appura said as they headed for the mountains. The foursome touched down just north of Ginger Town. Immediately Trunks and Goten hopped off in search of what they'd come for. Gohan however paused, looking down at a spot that was stuck in his memory.

"Is that it? Is this where the Trunks from the future killed Frieza?" Appura asked. Gohan nodded and then looked a little further north.

"And that's where my dad told us all about his warning about the Androids," he said, pointing at where Trunks and Goten were just disappearing over the precipice. He took a deep breath.

"Appura, if this works…" he started.

"If this works, and this whole mess ends, I will stand by what I said, Gohan," she said firmly, looking away from him, "There is no going back for us now." Gohan nodded in understanding as she followed after their younger brothers. He followed after her.

Goten and Trunks were clearing the rubble off the pod that had brought Goku back to planet Earth all those years ago, after the destruction of Namek. Gohan had piled the rubble there to hide it from the army. He reached into his pocket. The recent sightings of him were to throw the army off the scent. Wherever he led the army, somewhere else in the world, Chester, Appura's old friend, was purchasing a component from the list Gohan had given him. Right under their noses. Today, he was going to fit in the last bit to make the pod work again. Four months it had taken to get everything together. He pulled open the door to the old pod and began tinkering with it as Appura lulled their son to sleep. Goten and Trunks were on the look out for any more UAVs. Gohan got the last component installed and sat down on the chair inside the pod to record a message.

"My name is Son Gohan, my father is Son Goku. This message is for the people of Namek. Over ten years ago, my father defeated Frieza and saved you from his tyranny. I ask for another favour in return. In this pod, is my son Kabu," he said, "We have been betrayed by the people of our planet, and now, we are hunted. My father is held in captivity. I have been on the run for almost a year. We only have one pod like this, one chance to save someone, so, Princess Appura and I have made this decision, that our infant son will be the one who is saved. Please take care of him. We will try to end this and if we can, we will come for him. If we do not arrive within ten years of you hearing this message, it means we have failed. In this pod I have included a database on both Saiyan and Human cultures. This is his heritage, please teach him. Do not let him come back here! I know the blood that runs in his veins. He will want to help, he will want revenge. Kabu, that is not why we saved you! That is not why your mother and I are putting you in this tin can and blasting you into space!" He paused and screwed up his eyes. This may be the only thing his son has to remember him by. He didn't want him crying to be the only thing Kabu had. "We…" he paused again, "We saved you, so that you could live in peace. That's all we've ever wanted. We wanted to live in peace. Goodbye, my son." He ended the message. He slumped forward and put his head in his hands. He sobbed. This was it, this was goodbye to his son. He hauled himself out of his pod, wiping his eyes on his sleeves. Appura was close by.

"It's time," she called to Goten and Trunks. They bounced over as Appura moved towards the pod, kneeling in front of it.

"Okay, time to say goodbye to Kabu," she said.

"Bye Kabu," said Trunks, gently stroking Kabu's soft black hair, "I'll miss you."

"Bye little nephew," whispered Goten, leaning over and kissing Kabu's cheek. Appura's arms were still locked tightly around Kabu as she turned to Gohan. She somewhat reluctantly handed him over. Gohan stood up and looked down at his sleeping son. "I know you probably won't remember this," he said softly, "But your grandfather Vegeta will kill me if he finds out I didn't say this. You are a Saiyan, more than I am, thanks to your mother. You are the firstborn of the firstborn of the Prince of All Saiyans. You are Prince Kabu of Vegeta, First of your name. You are what we leave behind. You are the last Saiyan to be born here on Earth, just as I was the first. We love you so much and I know if your grandpa Goku was here, he'd be crying like a baby right now. But we have to do this. I don't want you growing up in fear, constantly hiding. We love you, Kabu, we will always love you. Time and distance will not diminish it." He gently pressed a kiss to his son's forehead and bent to place Kabu in the specially customised pod. He'd sleep for most of the journey. The computer would play music and recordings so that Kabu could learn as he went on his journey. Gohan knew it was a long shot that he would ever see his son again and it broke his heart. He typed the final command into the console and took one last look at his son as the door closed. He stepped back as the engine fired and watched as the pod lifted into the air before shooting upwards out of the atmosphere.

* * *

><p>Goku stared in disbelief at what the surveillance probe was sending back. Everyone in the room was frozen. Videl was shaking slightly. He couldn't believe that this what his son had been planning. For a moment, Goku had allowed himself to believe that he was going to be rescued. But now he knew how dire the situation had become.<p>

This was it.

All bets were off.

The planet was in serious trouble.

It had broken the spirits of four of the most powerful beings in the galaxy.

There was nothing holding Gohan and Appura back from ripping the planet apart anymore.

In a moment of fear, the Earth had put itself in even more danger from the very people who were meant to protect it.


	22. Chapter 22 Torture

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z

**Chapter 22**

**Torture**

Videl sat frozen in her chair. She didn't dare move. The Saiyans…the ones following King Kuda were around and she always avoided them. She hated them. They weren't like the others and just looking at them made her feel sick, especially knowing what she had done to her friends. She hadn't meant for it to happen this way. She had tried to save them, done everything she could to keep them safe. She had withheld information, given them false intelligence and made them seriously underestimate the Saiyans abilities, especially Gohan. She hadn't even told them that he was the person who killed Cell. When asked, she had just shrugged and said she didn't know.

She had plotted, planned, but now, they were starting to unravel and she needed to act quickly if she was to salvage her work. She covered her ears with her hands and winced as fresh cries rang through the building. Kami, Kabu had a set of lungs on him when he decided to cry! Just minutes after the pod had left Earth's atmosphere, Kuda's men had intercepted it, removing the child from the pod. She had seen what Gohan had recorded for the Nameks. If Kuda's men worked out how to play the message, they would begin to piece together the information Videl had held back. Like Gohan and the others being Super Saiyans. If they found that out, Videl wouldn't be able to protect Goku and the others anymore. For a year she had spent nearly every waking moment keeping the three Saiyan prisoners alive. General Greed would have had them submitted for experiments if he had had his way. Kuda would have made them playthings for his men. Videl had kept them safe, kept them alive.

Kabu screamed again. Kuda was using him as bait. His crying was being broadcast around the world on every form of media in an attempt to lure his parents out of hiding. Videl was almost certain that it was going to work. Appura's motherly instincts wouldn't allow her to ignore her son's frightened cries indefinitely. Sooner or later, she was going to break and come looking for her baby. Even Videl was fighting the urge to go and comfort the little boy. If only she could block out the noise, she could concentrate on saving his family.

"_Captain Videl, come to the prisoners room immediately. You're going to want to see this,_" a voice over her walkie-talkie distracted her again. She wasn't going to get anything done with Kabu's cries carrying around the building. She heaved herself up and left her office. Kabu's cries were even louder out in the corridors. She wanted to clamp her hands over her ears but then again, the Saiyans were here. She couldn't show weakness. The soldiers from Earth knew what to do now when the Saiyans came. Don't show weakness. Don't cringe, don't flinch, and don't make eye contact. It was difficult to walk with purpose when you had to keep your head down but anyone who valued their lives either did it or didn't leave their rooms whilst the Saiyans were here. One poor soldier had discovered these rules the hard way seven months before. He had made the mistake of looking up as two Saiyans passed him and then quickly looking away. There hadn't much left of him to bury afterwards. Hell, the janitors had had to scrape him off the wall. There were still stains on the wall where the blood just refused to budge. Now, half the staff lived in fear. Videl kept her eyes fixed on the floor as three burly Saiyan warriors passed her, Elites they were called. She resisted the urge to look at them as they walked away. She was just rounding the corner when she heard one of them speak. "That's her," he said, "That's the one they call Videl. Apparently she bedded the half-breed Gohan and lived."

"Hmm, boy can't have much taste," spat the female companion.

"Well, he went from her to the Princess apparently," replied the first, "Sired that ugly brat who's now perforating his grandfather's eardrums." He sniggered and the female laughed. Videl kept on walking. Kami, she hated Saiyans.

She arrived at the cell where Goku, Vegeta and Tarble were being kept without running into anymore Saiyans. "What is it? Why did you call me?" she asked one of the soldiers standing guard. The guard grinned.

"Take a look," he said. Videl stepped forward and opened the grate on the door. She was surprised to find all three Saiyans up and pacing about. This was most unusual as Tarble hadn't gotten up off the bed under his own power for over a week. All three had their hands clamped over their ears. Vegeta seemed the most agitated. "Make him stop, make him stop," he kept muttering under his breath, "Gotta make him stop."

"An interesting trait isn't it?" said a voice that made Videl's blood run cold. She knew that voice.

"Hello Your Majesty," she said, fighting to keep her voice firm. She slowly turned around, keeping her eyes firmly on the floor. No one, not even General Greed, looked King Kuda in the eye and lived to tell the tale.

"Don't you find it fascinating?" the King commented, looking over Videl's head at the three prisoners, "A close family member is crying and it's like torture to them to not know where he is and if he's safe."

"Is he…" Videl started before she could stop herself.

"The brat is fine," snapped Kuda so fiercely that Videl almost flinched, "He just wants his mother. He's been coddled too much. A true Saiyan would not be bawling right now." Videl kept her eyes on the floor even though she wanted to jump for joy.

"Walk with me, Captain," said Kuda, "The prisoners will be escorted by my men." Videl looked over her shoulder back at the grate. Vegeta was watching them through it. Videl let her fear show on her face briefly before turning it back to its blank expression she had trained herself to use around Saiyans. Plans briefly whirled around her head and fell into place. She had a new one. She followed Kuda as she heard the door being opened.

"I understand you once were the temporary mate of the half-breed Gohan," Kuda stated.

"Yes sir, a couple of years ago now," she said, trying to concentrate on both the King and the heavy footsteps of the others behind them. Her mind was racing with how she could communicate with Goku and the others without the Saiyans realising.

"You have been very useful, telling us everything you know about them," continued Kuda, oblivious.

"There wasn't much of a choice," Videl stated, "General Greed had my father. He's the only family I have left." She added the last bit, knowing Kuda didn't give a rat's ass about her family situation but it might land with the Saiyans she had once called her friends, most especially with the one who had once jokingly called her 'daughter-in-law'.

"Even so, your dedication to furthering our cause has been noble indeed for a human," Kuda continued, "You are dedicated, aren't you?"

"Oh, of course sir," she said with false enthusiasm and crossed her fingers obviously behind her back, in full view of Goku and the others, "Anything to rid my planet of the Saiyan menaces." She kept her fingers crossed. She heard a noise from Goku.

"Keep moving, scum!" a Saiyan barked. Her message had landed at least. He must have finally been willing to listen.

"Tell me, what will happen with Princess Appura's son?" she asked, knowing the three prisoners wanted news of their kin.

"He will be kept safe and well whilst he is of use, then I shall see to it he is properly disposed of," Kuda snarled.

"With all due respect, Your Majesty," Videl said softly, "He isn't very strong. He has health problems stemming from his premature birth. He will never reach the strength of other Saiyans. You could leave him here on Earth, alive…"

"Captain! You forget yourself and your place!" snapped Kuda, "Don't forget what happened to the last soldier who forgot their place amongst the Saiyans. What was his name? Reynolds?" Videl cast a sideways glance at the blood-stained wall where a soldier had lost his life. She lowered her head.

"My apologies, Your Majesty," she said quietly as they approached the main control room. The room where she had witnessed Gohan attempting to save his son. She followed the King in. General Greed was already there, stood in the centre. King Kuda went and stood behind him. Videl stood back and watched as Goku and the others were chained to the chairs once more. They certainly were more active today, walking with relative ease, even Tarble who had been carried into the room just a few days before. The Saiyan soldiers chained them up and then left. Videl moved and stood behind them.

"Bring him in," barked Greed. Videl looked as another door opened and a soldier came in carrying…Kabu! The boy was merely whimpering now. Videl felt a pain in her chest. She had to do something now, she had to start making right some of her wrongs. She looked up at the big screen. It was a view of the city centre of West City. People were milling about looking up at what was obviously the big news screen in the main square. She slowly moved towards Goku under the pretence of getting a better view. Goku was chained to the middle chair, directly behind Greed and Kuda.

"Channel open," Greed commanded.

"Channel open," confirmed another soldier.

"Excellent," Greed said, "People of Earth! This is General Greed. The Saiyan Fugitives are still amongst us!" Videl looked at the console behind her. A message was flashing at the technician sat there.

'Alpha 2: Confirmed. Targets Appura and Gohan in West City Centre. In with crowd. Over.'

Damn it! They knew where Gohan and Appura were. They were going to lure them out with Kabu! She had to do something. She inched forward, closer to Goku as Greed bragged about made-up victories against the Saiyans. As Greed placed Kabu in full view of the screen, causing the boy to wail once more, she subtly loosened Goku's chains whilst the staff was distracted. Goku's head turned to look at her briefly. Videl quickly moved away as she heard a message come over the radio, 'We have confirmed targets, preparing to fire'. Goku must have heard it too because he leapt to his feet so he was in full view. "Gohan, Appura! Run! They know where you are! Run!" he screamed before slumping to his knees with the effort. Videl saw two flashes of light as Gohan and Appura fled the crowd in West City that was now beginning to panic. She allowed herself a brief smile before joining the other officers restraining Goku.

* * *

><p>Appura's fists clenched in anger as she tried to control her breathing. "That bitch…" she snarled.<p>

"Appura, you need to calm down," said Gohan. He was flew at the side of her as they sped away from West City.

"Why the hell should I be calm?" snapped Appura, "That little cow not only has our families imprisoned but now she has our son as well."

"You make it sound like all this was Videl's idea," Gohan replied, "Somehow I don't think it is."

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you, Son Gohan," Appura said.

"And jealousy doesn't suit you, Princess," said Gohan. Appura stopped short.

"Jealousy?" she replied, looking astounded as the Hybrid stopped as well, "You think I'm jealous of that little whore?!"

"Let's face it, ever since you found out about her involvement in all this, you've been paranoid and convinced this is all a plot to get me back," Gohan said coldly.

"She's helping those who've ripped our family apart," shouted Appura, "She was supposed to be our friend! Why would she do this if it wasn't to get you back?!" Gohan grabbed Appura by the arms and gave her a little shake.

"Think about what you're saying," he snapped, "Appura, you are my princess and my mate. I will not willingly leave your side. Only when you ordered me to. I am not going to leave you for Videl. There is another side to this, a story we haven't heard yet. I suggest you hold your tongue and reserve your judgement." He kept his firm grip on her arms as he pulled her up against him so they touched from chest to knee.

"You are my princess," he whispered in her ear, "Order me to stay away from her if you do not trust me to on my own. I am your mate, the father of your son. We are eternally bound together. We could be at opposite sides of the galaxy and I would feel every moment of joy and pain you experience." He released one of her arms and gently traced the mark he'd left on her neck what seemed a lifetime ago. Appura's eyes closed as he lowered his head to gently trail kisses down her neck before gently grazing the mark with his teeth. He heard her let out a little gasp and took the opportunity to capture her lips in a kiss. She gave in to his demands almost immediately, allowing him to plunder her mouth. For a moment, they floated in the air, lost in their own little world before Appura struggled against his grip and immediately he let go. She backed away a few feet, gave him a quick glance before taking flight once more, heading north.


	23. Chapter 23 Intervention

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z

**Chapter 23**

**Intervention**

*CLUNK*

Vegeta sat bolt upright at the sound of the power going out, a decision he instantly regretted as he felt light-headed. "Son of a bitch," he muttered as he flopped back down.

"What's going on?" he wasn't sure if it was Kakarot, Tarble or one of the guards outside the door.

"Powers gone out," he grunted, "Back-up generators haven't kicked in." These rolling black outs were becoming more and more frequent. Rumours amongst the soldiers were that Appura and Gohan were behind them. Something about tearing military outposts and government buildings apart. Vegeta grimaced. Finally, action on their part, but only because the humans had foolishly taken prisoner the one thing that was holding them back. Now they no longer had an infant to worry about, nothing was going to stand in their way. Even Kakarot knew that, he'd said as much the day Gohan and Appura had tried to get Kabu off the planet. And if Vegeta had to guess, they were getting closer to defeating at least the humans. Rolling black-outs, decreased rations. Vegeta grinned a little. He loved war even if he was a prisoner at the moment. The lights suddenly came back on and Vegeta had to blink his eyes to adjust to the sudden light. He slowly began to sit up, feeling stiff, a good indicator that it was nearly time for the infernal shot. He rubbed his sore neck. They were finding it harder and harder to find veins to inject the Saiyans with. Tarble's had deteriorated so badly they had moved on to his arms. As he rubbed his neck, Vegeta felt a chill run down his spine. The entire building seemed quiet…too quiet. Suddenly klaxons and alarms began blaring all over the building and the door to the cell flew open. Armed guards burst in, aiming their weapons directly at the half-asleep Saiyans. A Captain walked in, one they had never met before.

"Take them to General Greed's office immediately," he barked, "Their dose will be administered there." Vegeta glanced at Kakarot. They'd never been taken to Greed's office before.

* * *

><p>"What do you mean, you don't know?!" Greed spluttered, his face going red. Vegeta cocked an eyebrow at the tiny General.<p>

"I mean, I haven't seen my wife in a year," said Vegeta, "I don't know how she got out, how she got the boy or where she has gone." He grinned. He knew why he loved that brilliant human. It had taken a year, but she had escaped, taking Kakarot's wife and their grandson with her, all without leaving a hint at how they'd done it or where they'd gone. He glanced over the General's shoulder. Videl was stood behind him, biting her lip to suppress a laugh. Laughing didn't help, as Kakarot had discovered when he had burst into a fit of giggles upon learning what had happened. He was still scowling and nursing the bump on his head. Greed sighed audibly and slumped in his seat.

"Doesn't matter," he said in a falsely optimistic voice, "Kuda has already ordered his men to find them and the Hybrids…they're going to rip this world apart to find them." Vegeta smirked.

"Do I look worried?" he asked, fighting a chuckle.

* * *

><p>Gohan dropped the unconscious body of a soldier. "Appura!" he yelled as he began to pick his way through the wreckage. This building had been a military prison. They had hoped they would find their fathers here. Sadly, no luck, once again. "Appura! Trunks!" Gohan called again, "Goten!" He'd lost track of them during the attack but they needed to move quickly before more soldiers arrived. His Saiyan hearing picked up a clicking noise down the hallway.<p>

As he looked around the door frame, he smiled. Trunks had his mother's brilliance. He was sat at the Commanding Officer's computer, hacking into the military system, looking for clues. His brow was furrowed but he had a small smile on his face. "Found something, kiddo?" Gohan asked.

"Yeah," Trunks replied quietly, "Mom's escaped, and so has yours. Took them long enough." Gohan smiled to himself. Two more allies on the outside to help.

"That's great," he said, looking into a couple of files on the desk, "If we can meet up with them, they can tell us where they're hiding my dad and…" he trailed off when he turned his head to find the chair empty.

"Trunks?" he called, "Trunks!" There was a clattering outside the room and Appura appeared in the doorway.

"Have you seen Trunks?" Gohan asked, "He was here a second ago and then…"

"He vanished?" Appura cut him off, "Yeah, Goten vanished right before my eyes."

"Humans don't have that technology, or they would have taken all four of us," said Gohan, "This was someone off-world."

"Saiyans?"

"No, or they would have taken us too," Gohan said, "I think I know who it was."

* * *

><p>Trunks blinked in the unfamiliar sun light, his legs unsteady in the unusual gravity. He looked up at the pink sky and wondered where the hell he was. He staggered slightly and nearly fell but was caught by Goten.<p>

"Where are we?" Goten asked. Trunks looked around. It felt like he'd seen this place somewhere before but couldn't put his finger on it until…

"Goten, I think we're on Planet Vegeta, the Saiyan homeworld!" Trunks said excitedly, "I remember Dad telling me about it!"

"_Close, Trunks, very close!" _Trunks and Goten looked around but couldn't see anyone.

"Who was that?" Goten said, clinging to Trunks' arm.

"_It's me, King Kai! I've got a very important mission for you, boys."_ Trunks glanced at Goten before replying.

"Oh, yeah? What is it? And where are we?" said Trunks.

"_You're on Planet Plant, the neighbour of Planet Vegeta!"_

"Seriously?!" said Trunks, "But, why are we here?"

"_There's a Saiyan who's been in hiding on this planet for forty years. I tried to offer him transport to Earth some years back but he refused. I lost track of him a long time ago. But now, I think if you two find him, you may be able to convince him to help. Especially you, Goten."_

"Huh? Me?" asked Goten, "Why me? Who is this guy you want us to find?"

"_I'm sorry boys, I have to go. Oh, and Trunks, your mother's Dragonball radar is in your pocket. It may come in handy." _And with that, King Kai was gone. Trunks shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out the radar. He looked up at Goten.

"Guess we better find this guy," he said quietly.


	24. Chapter 24 In A Heartbeat

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z.

Author's note: I'M SORRY! I really am. I fully intended to upload this a month ago but due to wedding planning (getting hitched March 2014!) I've not had much enthusiasm for anything, hence this chapter taking forever and a day as well as numerous knitting projects laying dormant and my copy of Storm of Swords gathering dust. But I'm beginning to emerge from my writing hibernation and I fully intend to complete this story by Christmas!

**Chapter 24**

**In A Heartbeat**

Trunks was getting more and more like his mother as he got older. He and Goten were on an alien world, the remains of the Saiyan home world glittered in the night sky above him and he was sat cross-legged on the ground, tinkering with his mother's Dragonball radar. Goten, on the other hand, was more like his father. He was bored, filled with nervous energy but still, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the debris field near the planet. His father had been born on that planet, sent away from it mere hours before it was destroyed. Gohan had told him about Frieza once. "What are you doing, Trunks?" Goten asked with a sigh.

"Hang on just a minute, Goten, I think….Got it!" Trunks cried. He reattached the back of the radar with a click and stood up. Goten walked over and looked at it as Trunks switched it on. It was blank for a second and then a blip appeared on the bottom of the screen.

"What is it?" Goten asked.

"I modified the radar," Trunks explained, "It was set to look for the energy given out by the dragon balls, but now I've changed it to pick up on any energies that stand out against the native stuff."

"So, a single Saiyan amongst all the people and plants on this whole planet?"

"Uh-huh," Trunks confirmed, clearly delighted with himself.

"That dot is really small," said Goten frowning, "We had better hurry."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, on Earth…<p>

Appura and Gohan blended in with the crowd. They had become masters at hiding their ki. No Saiyan would know they were in the middle of a major city. After the events of the previous day, they had come to the conclusion that their fathers were not being held in any military prison. Which meant they were being held in a well-populated area, one where large numbers of people entering a single building would not be out of the ordinary. Central City had seemed a logical place to start. Even more so when announcements came over the big news screens around the city, requesting everyone make their way to the city centre. Gohan clasped Appura's hand tight. In such a huge jostling crowd it would be easy to get separated and just as difficult to find each other again without attracting attention to themselves. He could feel the tension in every single one of Appura's muscles, even the little ones in her hands were poised, ready to leap into action at a moment's notice. She'd been a tightly coiled spring since Kabu had disappeared. All she wanted was her baby back. And if Videl happened to be in the way, well, Gohan was pretty certain that Appura hoped she was.

They reached the main square. Gohan noted Appura's frown. He looked up. The big news screens were oddly blank. No further information, no video being played. Then he saw a huge stage set up on the western side of the square. His grip on Appura's hand tightened and made his way closer, weaving between the people also stood, looking at the stage.

He froze when he saw the armed soldiers stood either side of it, every instinct in his body screaming 'trap!' But he didn't dare turn around. It'd look suspicious and they wouldn't have gained anything. A hush fell over the crowd as three soldiers in dress uniform climbed up. Gohan tensed. Videl was one of them. She looked so weird in her uniform. He barely recognised as the girl he had saved from the falling tower, the girl he had once…but it didn't matter what happened in the past. She was now on the side of his enemy. The back of his neck prickled and he saw black dots appearing in the sky. Saiyans. Videl now stood on the right hand side of the man Gohan recognised as General Greed as six heavily armed soldiers walked onto stage, half-dragging three miserable-looking figures. Appura gasped next to him when the prisoners were forced to kneel on the stage. It was their fathers and Tarble. They were out in the open. If only the Saiyans weren't there, they could have grabbed them and been gone by now. But where was Kabu?

"People of Central City!" General Greed's voice boomed out, "There are those amongst you who doubt that the Saiyan menace on our planet is a real threat. Who doubt the Saiyan's are even real! Well, I give you three of them." He gestured dramatically at Vegeta, Goku and Tarble.

"The Princes Vegeta and Tarble and their cohort, Kakarot," he shouted, "Sent to this planet to destroy us, enslave us! They have taken human women to breed humanity out of existence." Gohan really wanted to punch Greed by that point.

"Apple Vee, is the daughter of Prince Vegeta, her music contained subliminal messages to make us sympathetic to their cause. The son of Kakarot attempted to seduce Videl Satan to get access to Hercule! Vegeta took Bulma Briefs as his mate to get access to the most successful corporation on our planet. Everything they have done has been to gain control of our planet. These three are the sons of rebels, who fought to oppress their own people and lost. Then they moved on to us. Now we have the ringleaders in custody, we need the foot soldiers. So far, they have evaded us and attacked our military sites, but not for much longer." He signalled to the soldiers. Vegeta was dragged to the front of the stage. He looked so weak and helpless. There wasn't anything about him that was the man Gohan knew. Vegeta's head hung like he was too weak to even hold it up right, his shoulders were slumped. Everything was telling Gohan that Vegeta was exhausted and couldn't even defend himself anymore. Appura's hand slipped from his grasp as one of the soldiers handed something to General Greed that looked like a cattle prod.

"But we will prevail! We will find the last of the Saiyan menace and send them back where they came from. We will find them by any means necessary. Any means." Another soldier pushed Vegeta's head forward so he was slumped over, his back exposed. Gohan realised what Greed was going for. The tiny lump that was all that remained of Vegeta's tail. Greed pressed the prod to it and Vegeta let out a scream, the only thing he had the energy to do. Tarble and Goku cringed as Greed prodded Vegeta's tail stump again. Vegeta's scream ripped through the crowd. Gohan could even see some of the humans were upset by what was happening but nothing compared to Appura. The blood had drained from her face and was dripping from between her fingers as her fingernails dug into her palms from her clenched fists. Her gaze was locked on the stage, at her father. Gohan moved in front of her, blocking her sight. His hands moved over her ears to muffle the sounds of her father's screams. Her eyes scrunched closed as she tried to ignore it. But it didn't work. She began to shake her head. It wasn't going to work. It had been a year of running, fearing for their lives, their son's life. This was the final straw. Gohan lowered his hands.

"I can't do this anymore, Gohan," she said softly, barely audible over Vegeta's screams, "I can't keep running. He's my father, I need to help him. We need to help them." Gohan nodded. He stepped away from her. They took to the air. A scream came from the crowd.

"That's enough!" Appura shouted down at Greed who promptly dropped the cattle prod. Vegeta slumped onto his side.

"No more! We're not hiding anymore!" Appura continued, "You've taken everything from us, our parents, our friends, our son. We've nothing left to lose now. You wanted us desperate. Well, you've done it!" A bang sounded from one of the buildings and Gohan grunted as a dart hit him in the neck. Appura looked at him. He gave her a wink and began to fall from the sky. It was the same stuff that their father's had been dosed with…but Gohan wasn't vulnerable to that stuff. It suddenly clicked for her. Gohan was faking to lull them into a false sense of security. She sped after him, catching him by the arm before he hit the ground. She gently lowered him onto the floor and stood over him.

A deep, booming chuckle made Appura look up as Kuda landed in front of her.

"Hello, Princess," he said, grinning, "You have proven most elusive. But, I'll be generous. If you can defeat me, I will free your friends. It should be interesting, a Saiyan Princess with no warrior training and a unconscious Half-Breed. Do you even know who I am?"

"Kuda," replied Appura.

"King Kuda."

"Not to me. The true Saiyan King died years ago. You're just an imposter!"

Kuda's grin vanished, his forehead crinkling as he frowned.

"We'll see about that," he said softly, standing up straight. He towered above Appura, who stood firm. She just hoped Gohan's plan worked.


	25. Chapter 25 Bardock

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z.

Please read the Author's note at the end.

**Chapter 25**

**Bardock**

Goten stood off to the distance as Trunks spoke with the small purple natives. He'd caused quite a commotion on his arrival. The second he'd touched down in the village, the little aliens had begun chattering at him, bringing food and drink and little trinkets. Goten had thought it was amazing. Trunks however, was suspicious and was now trying to find out why they had been showered with gifts and anything else they may know about the Saiyan they were looking for. Goten happily ate the fruit the natives had given him, especially the large purple soft ones that tasted like grapefruit. He had left the little red ones which were rather bitter. He watched his friend who was talking animatedly to the small people. Trunks really had the best of both his parents. He had Vegeta's face but Bulma's colouring. Vegeta's strength and Bulma's confidence.

Thinking about Bulma and Vegeta made Goten sad. It made him miss his own mother and father. He missed having his mother standing behind him, watching like a hawk. At times it was annoying but he felt protected. He missed his father's laughter. Life had definitely gotten better when his father had come back to life. All of Gohan's stories about him had been true. He was a great man and a fun, loving father. Goten never passed an opportunity to hug his father, not having missed out for most of his life. The first night Goku had been back from the dead, in the early hours of the morning, both Gohan and Goten had crept out of their rooms at the same time and gone into their parents' room. Both Goku and Chi-Chi had been asleep so, silently, the two boys had lain down on the floor on Goku's side of the bed and slept there. Come morning, Chi-Chi had found all three sleeping on the floor, Goku having gotten up and joined his sons. Goten had been sleeping with his head on Goku's chest. Gohan had been touching Goku's leg with his foot as if he was making sure it hadn't all been a dream and his father was going to disappear when he woke up.

Goten missed Gohan and Appura too, and his little nephew Kabu. The fruit in his hand exploded as he felt anger swell inside himself. He had grown up listening Vegeta tell stories about the Saiyan people. These stories were few and far between with Vegeta not being the bedtime-story kind of father but they had always held Goten and Trunks' full attention. But these Saiyans that had turned up, the ones who had killed Ima, who had torn his family apart. He couldn't reconcile them with Vegeta's stories. Had Vegeta lied? Or was Bulma closer to the mark? He'd overheard Bulma once saying that Vegeta had been very young when the Saiyan home world had been destroyed, leaving only a handful of Saiyans alive. Goten knew the names of the survivors. His own father and Vegeta, Vegeta's bodyguard, Nappa, and Raditz, his uncle, a man who, to this day, still terrified Gohan. Of course there was Broly and his father, he remembered the stories about them. Then he had learnt about Ima and Appura. Appura, the last full-blooded Saiyan to ever be born.

Appura had taken the events of the past year very hard. She'd lost her mother, almost lost her baby and now her father had been taken away. When they'd gone to hide with Dende, it was impossible not to hear her arguing with Gohan. It had been a daily occurrence. Within a matter of weeks, he'd learnt the warning signs. That had been when he and Trunks had started taking Kabu and hiding out of the way. Gohan and Appura's tempers had never flared at their brothers or son, only at each other, but when your family had halved in a matter of hours and the two people you relied on to look after you were at each other's throats at times…Gohan had just wanted to curl up in a ball and block it all out at times, and at others, he'd wanted to scream at them, that they were hurting their son. And then it had stopped, rather suddenly. Appura had vanished deep into the lookout with Kabu whilst Gohan seemed to maintain a constant vigilance outside with Piccolo. They didn't look at each other, didn't speak to each other and then one day, Gohan had been gone. That had been the first time Goten had felt truly alone. It felt like his world was falling apart, he expected the very floor he stood on to crumble away at times. Trunks hadn't understood. He still had his sister there. Goten had no one. Appura had done her best to treat him exactly the same as Trunks but without Gohan there, it just wasn't the same.

Goten's thoughts were interrupted by Trunks coming back.

"Well?" Goten asked.

"I know where he is, the caves we passed on our way here," said Trunks, "C'mon." Goten put down the fruit he hadn't started yet and turned to the villagers. He bowed his head.

"Thank you for the fruit," he said.

"You're welcome, Saiyan," said the leader of the village who went by the name of Berry. Goten followed Trunks. The mountains weren't far away. Goten could already see signs of a battle from years before. Big chunks missing out the side of mountains and hills, in some cases, the results of ki blasts, perfectly round holes in the sides of them. Scorched trees and earth became more common the closer they got to the large central mountain. He wondered if the Saiyan they were looking for had been involved in the battle. Trunks began to descend and Goten followed. They landed outside a large cave. Huge empty bowls lay scattered around the entrance with the remains of fruit and meat in them. The bowls had drawings carved into the sides of them. They seemed to depict the battle. It was almost as if they had been offerings or tribute left by the natives. Trunks started heading into the cave with Goten close behind. It was a long, dark tunnel but they could see a faint light in the distance.

"Trunks, what are we going to say? This is a Saiyan! He might not be like our dads! What if he tries to kill us?" Goten asked.

"We'll tell him King Kai sent us," Trunks replied, "I'll tell him who my dad is too, he might kneel before me." Trunks grinned. Goten was confused for a moment before he realised what Trunks meant. Sometimes he forgot that Trunks and Vegeta were Princes. The light was getting closer. Goten's stomach began to tie itself in knots.

The tunnel turned a corner. That was where the light was coming from. Goten could hear someone moving about too. He paused as did Trunks. Neither of them wanted to go round that corner first. They just stood there. This was clearly a strong warrior they had been sent to find. What if he wasn't on their side? What if he was loyal to King Kuda?

"Who's there?" came a voice, "Show yourself!" Goten felt Trunks squeeze his hand before letting go. The two boys took a deep breath before rounding the corner together. The light was brighter than expected and Goten had to raise his arm to shield his eyes so he didn't see the Saiyan at first. But the Saiyan saw them.

"Kakarot?"

* * *

><p>Appura stood firm, feet planted either side of Gohan's faux prone form. He was relying on the element of surprise. Kuda was a lot taller than her, probably the same height as her grandfather had been. It had always been a sore subject with her father. He recalled his fathers six feet something height and always been frustrated that he hadn't inherited it. He had been cursed with his mother's height. She had only been as tall as Appura was and had come from a family of short Saiyans, who had worked their way up in Saiyan society from being used in small spaces to lay cables. One had saved the life of a previous King and had been honoured for it. It had taken two centuries but they had worked their way up to the point when Appura's Royal great-grandfather hadn't batted an eyelid at the suggestion that his son and heir be married to one of them. The result had been her father, who was now lying slumped on his side from exhaustion. His muscles had diminished and he looked a little emaciated.<p>

It was Kuda who made the first move; a chop to Appura's neck. She hadn't been slacking during her time in hiding. When Kabu was quiet or napping, she had been training, continuing what Goku had started. She had believed him when he had said she had the potential for greatness inside her. She ducked to avoid the attack, almost kneeing Gohan in the back. Missing her threw off Kuda's balance and he stumbled, only for Gohan to land a well-aimed punch to his stomach. The blow sent Kuda flying backwards. Gohan stood up straight next to Appura. Kuda recovered and looked at Gohan.

"So, the Hakai doesn't affect half-breeds," he grunted, "That's very interesting." His gaze shifted over and landed on Greed and the other cowering human soldiers.

"I'm going to say this once and once only," Gohan said menacingly, "This is my home. I was born here and raised here. I'm as human as the next person. I just got lucky with my DNA." Whatever cameras that had been used to film Greed were now trained on Gohan. This was Gohan's chance to rally the people of Earth to their side.

"The people of Earth deserve to know the truth," Gohan said, "The Saiyans that are held prisoner, they are not here to conquer. Their home was destroyed and they are all that remains. They found home and refuge here on Earth. They settled down, started families, and have fought to defend the Earth and it's people against those who would destroy it. I will not let you take that away from us. I will not let you tear us apart. My name is Son Gohan. My mother is Chi-Chi, the daughter of Ox-King, my father is Son Goku. I am of Earth and Planet Vegeta. This is my home. I won't let you take that away from me." Gohan's face tightened in concentration as he focussed. Appura could tell that he was summoning his energy to go Super Saiyan. Only nothing was happening. His ki wasn't altering at all.

"What's wrong?" Appura whispered.

"I don't know," Gohan hissed back, "It's like there is a barrier between me and my Saiyan ki…I can't transform! Of course, that must be how the Hakai works. It blocks off a Saiyan's ki! But I'm half-human. I'm running on my human half right now."

"So, you can't transform?"

"Nooo, look out!" At the last second, Gohan threw himself and Appura clear of Kuda's ki blast.

"I grow bored of your games, half-breed," Kuda growled, "Let's play one of mine instead. It's called Half-breeds Die!" He threw another ki blast at them. The pair managed to dodge it. Appura tried to summon her ki, desperate to change to her Super Saiyan form. Her hair flickered for a second and then failed. She hadn't transformed since the day her mother died and it wasn't for lack of trying. She flung herself clear of another ki blast. Maybe if they avoided the attacks, Kuda would wear himself out.

So she and Gohan began leaping from blast to blast, avoiding them barely. They could see Kuda losing patience and night was starting to fall. Eventually the sun vanished beyond the horizon. Kuda grinned and made a guttural sound. It was Ancient Saiyan and sounded familiar to Appura. Transformation. What was he planning? The human soldiers had fled and the Saiyans had retreated too. Gohan's eyes darted back and forth. Escape was possible but it was too easy. There had to be a trap somewhere, keeping them here. That's when he felt a pull way down at the base of his spine where his tail used to be. His gaze immediately fell upon the cause. A false full moon, projected onto the night's sky. Vegeta had used that same trick once. There was the trap. In a city, it was going to be harder to take down a Great Ape. But the transformation still took time. They could still flee, taking his father, Vegeta and Tarble too.

"Go…Gohan…" his father spoke, weakly, "Aaa…Apppuraaaa…" Gohan frowned and then looked over at Appura. She had gone completely rigid in mid-air. There lay the problem. The full moon was going to transform Kuda into his Great Ape form…and Appura was going to transform too. Gohan often forgot she still had a tail. He could hear her whimpers and grunts as the Great Ape began to take over. She finally let out a scream of pain as fur began to burst out of her skin, her bones began to elongate and reshape. Her skull stretched and her ears pointed. Her eyes turned red and she began to fall from the sky, her clothing ripping as she fell. By the time she hit the ground she was no longer Princess Appura, she was fully-transformed Great Ape.

Kuda stood before her in his Ape form. They were matched for height and size. They were still for a moment before launching at each other. 'I have to do something,' Gohan thought. But right now, he was of very little help to Appura. What they needed, was a miracle.

* * *

><p>"Kakarot?" the voice said again as Goten blinked rapidly to adjust to the light. Finally the person they had been looking for, began to take shape. He was tall like Goten's father. In fact he looked a lot like him save for a long scar down one cheek. Kakarot he kept saying. Wait, that was his father's Saiyan name, the name Vegeta always called him.<p>

"I'm not Kakarot," he said gently, "I'm his son, Goten."

"Goten," repeated the Saiyan.

"And this is Trunks, son of Prince Vegeta," Goten said quickly, remembering what Trunks had said. The Saiyan seemed to ignore what he was saying and just stared at him. He knelt on one knee in front of the two boys, still staring at Goten. The two boys didn't know what to do as the Saiyan grabbed Goten's chin and turned his head from side to side, as if inspecting him.

"If you are Kakarot's son, that makes me your grandfather," the Saiyan said before standing, "I'm Bardock."

"Bardock," Goten repeated.

"Kakarot was sent away at birth to some planet…" Bardock started.

"Earth," Trunks interrupted, "He's still there and so is mine."

"Earth," Bardock repeated, "Yes, King Kai offered to send me there many years ago. I had no idea why."

"King Kai sent us to find you," said Trunks, "We need your help. It's Kuda…"

"Kuda?" said Bardock, his hand reaching up to touch the scar on his cheek.

"He's taken our fathers prisoner and my uncle Tarble," said Trunks, "And now he has our nephew, Kabu."

"Nephew?"

"Oh, my sister, and your older grandson, Gohan," said Trunks, "But we don't have a lot of time. Kuda's going to kill them all!" Bardock was silent for a moment before looking upwards.

"King Kai! I think it's time I paid my son a visit," he said.

* * *

><p>Author's note: I know this doesn't fit in with Episode of Bardock, where he is transported into the very distant past and I want to apologise for that. I had the idea for this story before I knew about it and because I really wanted to include Bardock in this, I kept some of the details i.e. Planet Plant and his big battle with whatshisname, Chill was it? Anyway, thanks for reading!<p> 


	26. Chapter 26 Back To Earth

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z

A/N: I can't believe there are only 3 chapters left after this one. This story has taken over two years to write. BTW the couple whose wedding I attended before writing chapter 6 have just had their first baby! Sorry about the huge gap. I've been working on some original fiction for the past few months. I've completed my first draft so I can now focus on this again.

Chapter 26

Back To Earth

Watching his father crawl on his hands and knees was something that would stay with Gohan for the rest of his life. They were desperately trying to avoid being stepped on by either Appura or Kuda as the two Oozaru fought each other. But it was hard. Vegeta could barely move and Tarble had to be carried. This Hakai poison was dangerously effective. Gohan didn't feel as strong or as steady as he was used to. His vision blurred a little every time he swivelled his head. His hearing seemed lessened and his sense of smell wasn't as strong. He was human, everything Saiyan had been taken away. And he had never been so thrilled to be half-human. If he had been wholly Saiyan, he would have been crawling on his hands and knees too.

He threw his arms up to shield his face as Appura's tail smashed into the side of the building. Help had to come soon. Sooner or later, someone was going to get crushed under the feet of either Kuda or Appura. There was a great howl as Appura's claws scratched Kuda's face. It almost disguised the sound of someone calling Gohan's name. Almost. Gohan stared around, struggling to find the source without his Saiyan senses.

"Gohan! Gohan!" Then he saw it. Blue hair, bright eyes. Bulma! She dashed across the rubble caused by Kuda and Appura's fight, narrowly avoiding falling debris. She finally reached them. Vegeta reached out a hand to his wife. She dropped to her knees and kissed his face gently before turning to Gohan.

"Gohan, we saw everything," she said, "We know you've been dosed with the Hakai. Don't worry. There is a plan! King Kai is bringing in some help. When Kuda's distracted, Piccolo will come in and help you get away. We'll meet up with you later and come up with a plan."

"Kabu…" Gohan's mind raced to his son.

"He's with your mom, he's fine," said Bulma, "I've got to get back to them. Try to stay clear of the Oozaru. I've got to get back to Chi-Chi and come up with a plan to get Appura back to normal." She looked back to her husband.

"I love you, Vegeta. Just a little more time," she whispered, stroking the side of his face before tearing off back across the battlefield.

"Alright," said Goku, suddenly energetic at the sight of his friend, "Let's keep moving!" He lurched back onto all fours and the odd little group started heading for the corner of the square that looked the least affected. They made a good pace, better than before but still measly. There was a roar and one of the Oozaru stumbled backwards into a building. Rubble rained down upon them. Vegeta lurched forward and Gohan stepped backwards. However, Goku was right in its path. He stared up at the large chunks of brick, mortar and glass hurtled towards him, unable to move from fear. A hand closed around the back of his neck and tugged him out of the way just seconds before the building materials hit the ground.

Goku climbed onto his hands and knees again, slowly, painfully, turning his head to look at his saviour. For a moment, he thought he was looking at a mirror until he noticed the long scar down the cheek and the red tie around the head.

"Who…who are…" he started when the stranger suddenly lurched at him.

"Look out!" the stranger cried, grabbing Goku and rolling them to safety, away from the foot of an Oozaru.

"Dad! Dad!" a voice cried out as Goku's vision blurred and he struggled to focus, "Daddy!" An orange and blue blur leapt into his arms.

"Goten?" he said.

"It's me, Dad, don't worry, we're going to save you!" Goten said, "Piccolo's on his way. Gohan, come on, we need you."

Gohan put down Tarble slowly, staring at the stranger. The stranger smiled. It was bizarre, it looked like his dad but wasn't.

"Come on…Gohan?" the stranger said. Gohan nodded and moved towards him.

"All we have to do, is distract Kuda until the Namek can get here," the stranger informed him, "The Namek will get your father and the Princes out of the city and we'll follow."

"I've been hit with the Hakai," Gohan said, "I'm running on my human half."

"Your human half is stronger than you think," the stranger said, "I've already seen your mother taking on two soldiers by herself."

"Sounds like her," said Gohan, "Who are you?"

"I'm Bardock, your grandfather," said the stranger.

'Well, that explains a lot,' Gohan thought.

"What do you need me to do?" he asked.

"We'll need to attack from different angles," said Bardock, "If we all stand together, he'll just swat us like flies. You'll attack from the ground, Trunks and Goten will attack his back and chest, I'll take the head." Gohan nodded.

"I believe in you, Gohan," Bardock said, patting Gohan's shoulder, "Let's go." He let go of Gohan and jumped into the air, heading straight up behind the largest Oozaru. Trunks and Goten were already dancing around Kuda.

"Gohan, now!" Piccolo's voice came from behind him. Gohan snuck a glance over his shoulder. Piccolo had Tarble on his back and was holding Vegeta and Goku by the wrist.

"Ka…me…ha…me…haa!" Gohan yelled, concentrating on channelling his ki to his hands and forcing it at Kuda, the other attacks coming just a fraction of a second later.

"Kamehameha!" screamed Goten.

"Super Explosive Wave!" was Trunks.

"Final Revenger!" came from Bardock, a massive burst of energy erupting from his hands, striking Kuda on the head. The Oozaru roared, waving it's arms erratically, trying to swat at the Saiyans. Gohan felt the rush of air on the back of his neck as Piccolo took off. His foot slipped, his ki flickered and died.

"Go, go, go!" Bardock cried. Trunks and Goten swooped down, each hooking an arm around one of Gohan's and helping him up into the air. They heard a second, higher-pitched roar from the Oozaru. Kuda had stumbled and his foot was now firmly planted on Appura's with his hand at the base. He was pulling. He was going to remove her tail.

"We have to go back for her!" Gohan cried.

"No!" barked Bardock, "She'll find us, now, c'mon." He sped up, forcing Trunks and Goten to match him.

* * *

><p>Gohan saw Piccolo first. He was stood in the beams of a car's headlights. He stumbled a little as they landed. Goten held him up as Chester, Appura's friend came running up, instructing him to sit down.<p>

"Piccolo said they dosed you with the Hakai," Chester said, shining a small light in Gohan's eyes, "It takes twenty-four hours to wear off, but with you being half-human…I don't know what it'll do."

"Thanks, Chester," Gohan said, "Did Mom and Bulma make it out?"

"We don't know," Piccolo said, "We didn't see them when we left."

"Our attack didn't work," said Gohan, "Kuda's still destroying the city." He felt the twinge in his mind that signalled the arrival of someone. Trunks, Goten and Bardock all swivelled their heads to look back towards the city. There was a yellow streak in the sky, heading right for them. Bardock started to power up.

"No, it's my sister!" cried Trunks, grabbing Bardock's arm.

Appura landed a little haphazardly, on one knee. She kept her back to the group, her clothes having been destroyed in her transformation. She had a bloody smear across her back where her tail had been removed. Chester had run up to her immediately, cleaning the blood with antiseptic wipes from his first aid kit and giving her some old clothes to wear. Once cleaned up and dressed, she informed them that Bulma and Chi-Chi had been recaptured by the army.

"And Kabu?" Gohan asked.

"No sign of him or Yamcha," she said, "With any luck, they're miles away." She turned to her father.

"Dad, are you ok?" she asked, "I missed you."

"I'm fine," Vegeta said. Appura spotted Bardock.

"Who's this?" she asked.

"Oh, allow me to introduce, Bardock," said Goten, "My grandfather." He grinned at the last part. Goku's jaw dropped.

"You're…you're my father?" he said. Bardock nodded.

"It's good to see you again, my son," he said, smiling, "Last time I saw you, you were a new born."

"King Kai sent us to fetch him," explained Trunks, "Thinks he'll be able to help."

"Fat lot of good it did," Appura muttered.

"You know, you shouldn't mumble," Gohan said, "It's rude and without him, your father would have been crushed underneath falling rubble."

"Shut up, Gohan," Appura spat.

"Is this because we didn't kill Kuda?" Gohan asked, standing up, "I'm sorry, Princess, but you never defeat the bad guy the first time."

"We accomplished nothing!" Appura shouted, making Trunks and Goten taking a step backwards, "We didn't kill Kuda, we didn't get Kabu back and Bulma is still in prison!"

"Kami, you're such a brat sometimes," Gohan fumed. He was tired, frustrated at not being at full strength. It put him on edge.

"I'm a brat? I didn't leave because things started to get hard," Appura said, "You're just like your father."

Trunks stared at his feet and Goten clamped his hands over his ears as Gohan and Appura began yelling over each other. No one could work out what either of them was saying.

"That's enough!" barked Vegeta. The two young Saiyans spun on their heels and turned their backs on each other.

"What the hell has happened to you two?" Vegeta asked, his eyes flicking between them. Appura snorted and stalked off. Gohan paused for a moment before heading in the opposite direction. Vegeta turned to his son.

"Son, what happened?" his voice was soft for Vegeta. Trunks blinked and looked at him.

"They broke up…" Trunks said, "Appura told Gohan to go and he left."


	27. Chapter 27 Lost In Translation

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z

**Chapter 27**

**Lost In Translation**

"They broke up…" Trunks said, "Appura told Gohan to go and he left."

The others stared at Trunks. They couldn't believe what he was saying.

"What are you talking about?" Chester asked, "Gohan never said…"

"They were arguing, always arguing," Trunks explained, "And one day, Appura said she never wanted to see him again, screamed at him to leave her, to go away. The next day, he was gone."

"That's impossible," said Bardock.

"I know, they seemed so strong…" commented Chester.

"No, I mean physically, mentally…Saiyans mate for life," said Bardock, "They never split up, they can never break that bond."

"Gohan is only half-Saiyan," said Vegeta, "And for once, I hate that I was right."

"You thought my son was going to break your daughter's heart?" asked Goku.

"Not like that," said Vegeta, "I never thought they'd be able to make a mating bond in the first place. And from the sounds of things, it was my daughter that did the heart breaking."

"No wonder Gohan's been so focussed in the last few months," said Chester, "I never really noticed that he didn't mention Appura, I never questioned it."

"So, what happens now?" asked Goku.

"We defeat Kuda," said Bardock, "And then we'll deal with those two later."

"But how? Kuda has an army of Saiyans," said Goku, "And right now, I struggle to stand upright."

"There's a prophecy," came Gohan's voice. He'd returned with Appura just behind him. But now they knew, the rest of the little group could see that they were no longer a couple. They had their arms folded, they were stood further apart than was normal and were slightly leaning away from each other.

"What prophecy?" asked Vegeta.

"Dende's prophecy," said Piccolo, "He had a vision. Seven shooting stars and king on a throne of death."

"Throne of death?" said Bardock, "That sounds like Kuda. His throne was built on the deaths of a million Saiyans, almost including my own." He traced one finger down the jagged scar on his cheek.

"Only problem is I'm not waiting around for seven shooting stars to get my son back," said Appura bluntly, "I want my baby back."

"Shooting stars?" asked Goku.

"Yeah, Dende drew what he saw," said Gohan, "Chester, my pack." Chester ran to the car and pulled a backpack off the passenger seat. He handed it over. Gohan rummaged around in it, pulling out various bits and pieces including clothes. He glanced up and saw everyone watching. He flushed a little.

"I've err…been living out of this bag for a while," he said, before pulling out something small and rectangular, wrapped in cloth. He unwrapped it and handed it to Bardock.

"It's all there, even the writing he couldn't translate," said Gohan.

"I already told you, it says when seven shooting stars appear in the sky, the blood king's reign will end," Appura said in exasperation. Bardock snorted.

"Ima was never very good at Ancient Saiyan," he laughed. Appura glanced at him.

"What?"

"It doesn't say seven shooting stars," said Bardock.

"Well, what does it say?" Gohan asked.

"Seven super Saiyans," said Bardock, grinning, "And at last count, we had seven right here."

"Six," said Appura, "Goku, Gohan, Goten, Father, Trunks and myself."

"Seven," Bardock corrected, "Kakarrot, Gohan, Goten, Prince Vegeta, Trunks, yourself and me."

"Seven super Saiyans," said Vegeta.

"I've seen this prophecy before," said Bardock, "Ima's own father predicted this at the outbreak of the civil war. Kuda must be unaware of your Super Saiyan abilities, otherwise you'd be dead."

"But how? Soldiers have seen us transform," said Gohan.

"Videl," said Goku suddenly.

"What?" said Appura.

"Videl," repeated Goku, "She's been holding stuff back."

"How do you figure?" asked Gohan.

"Kuda kept talking about how he wanted to…it's gross, but he wanted to mate with Appura because she would give him strong sons," said Goku, "He said they'd be the first Super Saiyans in a thousand years. He would know if we were Super Saiyans but he doesn't. Videl is their only source of information on who we really are, if she holds back…"

"Then they have no idea, Kakarott, no idea what we're capable of," said Bardock, "If we bide our time, allow the Hakai to wear off…we can surprise them."

"They'll never know what hit them," said Vegeta.

"But what about the people of Earth?" asked Gohan, "What about Videl and the World Army? Are we going to assume they went along with Kuda's plan willingly?"

"Of course they were," said Appura.

"No!" said Goku, "We cannot assume that. They may have been forced…Videl kept trying to tell us that they had her father. It's possible that the Saiyans were forcing the humans to help them."

"That's true," said Chester, "Until recently, no one seemed to care whether you guys were aliens or not."

"Fine, we leave the humans be, but if they stand in our way…" said Vegeta.

"Then we move them," said Goku, "I'm done with this."

"Then it's settled," said Piccolo, "We're taking a stand. No more hiding."

* * *

><p>Goku lay on the grass, staring up at the stars. He should have been asleep but he could feel it, the Hakai was wearing off, slowly, his strength was returning. Goten was curled up at his side. There was a rustling and two booted feet appeared beside him.<p>

"Mind if I sit here with you?" Bardock asked. Goku shook his head and tightened his arm around Goten, making the sleeping boy sigh contentedly. Bardock lowered himself and lay next to him.

"I'm guessing you have a lot of questions for me," Bardock said.

"A few," said Goku.

"I have some for you, if I may ask?"

"Go for it."

"Did you truly defeat Frieza?" Bardock asked.

"Yes," said Goku, "That was the first time I went Super Saiyan."

"Amazing, I had a vision that you would be the one to do it," said Bardock, "I'm proud of you, son. I have one more question for you. Have you had a good life?" Goku paused and thought about it.

"Yes," he replied, "I wouldn't change any of it. I have my friends, my wife, my sons…and a grandson."

"I'm a great-grandfather to a Prince," Bardock muttered before chuckling, "I never thought that would happen."

"You should have seen him when he was born," said Goku, "He was tiny. He was early."

"I heard," said Bardock, "Do you have any questions for me?" Goku turned to look at his father.

"My mother," he said.

"Not a question but I get what you're asking," said Bardock, "Your mother…she was one of a kind. The first time I met her, she got knocked down in training a dozen times that day by someone twice her size and she kept getting back up for more. By the end of the day, she had him face down in the dust with her boot on the back of his head." He smiled at the memory.

"Do you know who it was?" he said to Goku.

"Who?" asked Goku.

"Me," said Bardock, "I'd never met her before but I knew she was the one for me. She put me in my place when I got too big for my boots, could tear me down with one look. She was the only person I feared. And I loved her more than I could say." Goku laughed.

"Sounds like my Chi-Chi," he said, "My wife. She's the only person I'm scared of. There's times I wish I could tell her how much she means to me, but I don't know how to say it."

"You're a Saiyan," said Bardock, "We like strong women but keep our feelings to ourselves. I regret only two things in my life."

"What's that?"

"I never got to hold you," Bardock said, "And I never got to say goodbye to your mother."

"What was her name?" asked Goku.

"Seripa," said Bardock. Silence followed as they lay there, staring at the stars.

"Where was Planet Vegeta?" Goku asked.

"The original one is somewhere over there," said Bardock, pointing off to the west, "But the new one, the one Frieza destroyed, was over there." He pointed to the east.

"Did you ever think of us?" Goku asked.

"You and Raditz?" Bardock asked, "Every day. But by the time, I found out where you were, both of you were dead. King Kai told me what had happened; I didn't think your wife would appreciate me turning up on your doorstep so I stayed away."

"Bulma would probably have shot you," said Goku, "That's Vegeta's wife. You'll like her, and Chi-Chi. They're just like…Mom."

"I'll understand if after this, you want me to stay away," Bardock said, "I've been a stranger your whole life and…"

"You can stay with us," Goku said, "You're family afterall."

"Son…wouldn't you want time with your family?"

"You are family," said Goku, "End of discuss…"

"Kakarott?" Bardock said, sitting up. Goku flexed his fingers.

"I think it's wearing off," he said, "I can feel my strength returning."

"That's good," said Bardock, "Keep resting, by sun up, your full power should be back."

"And then, we can go get Kabu, Bulma and Chi-Chi," said Goku, smiling.


	28. Chapter 28 The End Of The War

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z

**Chapter 28**

**The End Of The War**

Kuda roared and the other Saiyans returned the gesture. The projected moon kept them in their Great Ape form and allowed them to continue destroying the city. He sniggered as he heard humans screaming, trying to flee the destruction with little success. Then something in the back of his brain tingled. He turned around, he could see seven shooting stars in the sky…why did that seem familiar? The shooting stars got closer and closer, their colour changing from the pale gold they had seemed to be in the distance to bright yellow as they changed course, heading for the city, for the ground. He roared again. Those weren't shooting stars!

* * *

><p>The ground cracked and splintered as each of the Saiyans touched down. Bardock landed first, followed by Goku, Gohan and Goten on one side and Vegeta, Appura and Trunks on the other.<br>"You all know the plan," he said, "Stick to it." Each of the other six nodded and began to spread out, heading towards the centre and Kuda.

Gohan's eyes scanned the road ahead as he walked. Despite the rampaging Saiyans, this particular street seemed deserted. No sign of anyone. There was a squeal of tires and a bus came skidding around the corner of a side street. The driver had clearly lost control. Before Gohan could even react, it had slipped onto it's side and slid to halt. Within seconds, he could see human soldiers rushing forward to help the people inside. Only the exit at the rear of the bus was reachable but the handle was damaged. Gohan could already tell the humans weren't going to be able to open it. Smoke was starting to appear from the engine. He rushed forwards.  
>"Move!" he bellowed. The human soldiers jumped at the sound of his voice. One reached for his weapon.<br>"I can get them out," Gohan said quickly, "Shoot me, and they will all die. That engine is going to blow any minute." The soldiers hesitated. Gohan sighed and shoved them to one side, quickly finding a way to grip the door. He pulled and wrenched the door free, throwing it to one side.  
>"Everyone ok?" he asked, looking at the startled families inside.<br>"It's a Saiyan!" someone cried.  
>"It's an alien! He's going to kill us," shouted someone else. No one made a move to get off the bus. Gohan rolled his eyes and heaved himself inside. He saw a little boy on the back row with his mother. He wasn't much older than Kabu.<br>"You all need to get off this bus," said Gohan, "The engine is going to explode." Still, no one moved. Gohan sighed again.  
>"Fine," he said, "If you're not going to save yourselves, I'll do it for you." He quickly picked up the little boy off his mother's lap and passed him to the soldier waiting by the door.<br>"My baby!" screamed the woman as Gohan climbed past her, looking for anyone too small to get out on their own. It worked, parents soon realised that if they didn't get their children out, Gohan would take them himself. A chain was formed, child being passed from adult to adult back along the bus and out the door. Then he helped the adults clamber over the seats and out the door. Only a few soldiers were waiting when Gohan climbed out, most of the civilians running for the city limit.  
>"Thank you," said one of the soldiers, "Videl was right about you." Then the soldiers too turned and ran.<p>

Appura could hear shouts and screaming coming from the next road. Gohan was making an impression clearly. The road before her was littered with army vehicles, tanks and all-terrain vehicles. No sign of any soldiers that she could see, but she knew they were hiding somewhere. With a casual flick of her wrist, she sent a ball of ki at an empty car. It exploded. 'That will set the rats running,' she thought. She was right. Within seconds, she could hear the clicks of guns being prepped to shoot and several little red dots converged at her feet, slowly trailing upwards.  
>"Alright, listen up," she said, "You think Kuda's powerful? Well, we're stronger. We're also here to clean up this mess. So run, as fast as you can, and get out of here. Because once I'm done with Kuda, I may wish to find those who took my baby from me." One by one, the red dots vanished and moments later, she could hear the mad scramble of feet as the hiding soldiers scurried to find new hiding places, away from the Great Apes and the very angry Princess.<p>

The fleeing humans ran past Bardock without so much as a second glance. The first few to appear in the road before him had been surprised by him but word seemed to have filtered back and now the refugees were continuing on. So this was the planet his youngest son had grown up on? He supposed it must be a nice place when there weren't Great Apes ripping it up from it's foundations. He thought about all the years he had wasted, hiding in a cave. The scars on his back itched. He had sluiced off several layers of skin and tissue when Freiza's blast had skimmed him off the atmosphere of planet Vegeta and on to the next planet in the system. It had left him with a curious-looking dip in his lower back where it was just a thin layer of scar tissue over the muscles. The lack of fat there had left his muscles vulnerable and Bardock knew his fighting days were numbered. His muscles there were weakening, made worse by the damp of the cave he had lived in. He was starting to get back ache and occasionally had days where he found it difficult to stand up without intense pain and muscle spasms. 'This is it,' he thought, 'My last battle. After this, I'll be too old, too wounded to carry on. How fitting that if I should win, I will finally destroy the man who gave me my first scar.' He felt his cheek twinge as he remembered Kuda's ki blast skimming his cheek decades before, leaving the scar. He had been prepared to die that day, and he still was.

Vegeta had a clear view of Kuda. His stomach twisted and he growled deep in his throat at the sight. This was his uncle, his own flesh and blood, and all Kuda had tried to do was destroy them. Tarble had been delighted to learn he was an uncle twice over and a great-uncle when he had first arrived on earth. He had immediately dropped to one knee before his older brother, swearing to protect Vegeta's children and their children after. That was what the younger brother of a King did. He protected the line, never dreaming of assuming his brother's title unless something unfortunate befell the King before he sired children. Tarble's promise had been purely ceremonial, Vegeta knew that. Trunks and Appura were perfectly capable of defending themselves without their uncle's help. In fact, they were more likely to be the ones doing the defending. Tarble was safely stashed away at the Lookout where Dende was tending to him. It infuriated Vegeta that he had been unable to help his brother when Tarble had been struggling. In the early days of their imprisonment, he had tried to help Tarble disguise how much the Hakai had affected him, helping him to sit up before the humans had come in to examine or question them. He had defended his little brother's pride. But he had failed. The humans had worked it out and had increased their visits randomly. Even with Kakarot's help, Vegeta hadn't been able to protect Tarble's dignity like his own. It wasn't Tarble's fault. He had just been born that way, more like their mother than their father. Without Saiyan society to push him, Tarble had never been forced to improve his strength. He had coasted, with only the talent that came naturally to all Saiyans. In fact, the only Saiyan Tarble would ever have a hope of defeating was Kabu! Vegeta looked up at the night's sky. He knew the names the Ancient Saiyan's had given those stars and one day, hopefully soon, he would lie on the cool grass in Capsule Corp's back yard and teach Trunks and Kabu all the names.

Goku easily skirted around the frightened humans as they ran past. He wanted to stop and help them but he knew that Vegeta and Appura wouldn't stop and neither would his father. He needed to keep pace with them if the plan was to work. A woman with several children ran past him. One of the girls with her tripped and fell. Goku bent down and pulled her up before quickly moving on. Then he helped an old man by pulling the door off his car so he could save his pet dog. Next he caught a flying piece of rubble flung by one of the Apes before it crushed a dozen teenagers. He couldn't gather them up and fly them out the city but it was little things that made all the difference. He was almost at the city centre now. It was almost time. Time to end Kuda's reign and bring peace to Earth once more.

* * *

><p>Yamcha skirted around the edge of the building. He had to find the machine projecting the full moon, not easy when he had his late wife's grandson on his back. But Kabu was fast asleep. There was hardly anybody around, the Great Ape's more focussed on destroying buildings than killing the humans. He looked up, he was definitely getting closer; he could see the stream of light from the projector. Kabu stirred in his sleep against Yamcha's back. Yamcha glimpsed over his shoulder to check on the baby. He was fine.<br>"It's ok, little guy, Grandpa Yamcha's got you," he whispered before slipping back into the shadows as a few soldiers ran out from the other side of the building. Slowly Yamcha crept across the front of the building and peered around. He couldn't have planned it better. The projector was there, completely unguarded. It's guards were now picking their way across the rubble to escape the city, abandoning it to the Great Apes. Yamcha heard an explosion on the other side of the main square and felt the energies. They were here, his friends were here! But he needed to get rid of that moon, to even the playing field more.

He quickly ran down the alley way towards the generator. There was a clicking noise. Yamcha froze.  
>"Why are they doing this?" a small voice asked, "They said they were here to help us, to save us." Yamcha looked to the side. A young man, dressed in a soldier's uniform, was pressed against the wall. He looked very young, younger than Gohan.<br>"The Saiyans who want to help you were already here," Yamcha said, "The ones you were keeping captive…they lived here, had families here, their children were born here. My wife was one of them, she died protecting her daughter from the Saiyans you helped. They've been defending this planet for…well, decades. They are my friends."  
>"What should I do?" the boy asked, tears rolling down his face, "I don't want to die."<br>"Find shelter," said Yamcha, "Get into a basement or the subway, stay away from here. Don't worry, help is coming."  
>"What about the baby?" the boy indicated Kabu.<br>"He'll be fine with me," said Yamcha, "Now go!" The boy dropped his gun and ran. Yamcha turned his attention to the projector. He knelt next to it.  
>"Alright, Kabu, let's see if I actually learnt anything from all those years dating your Grandma Bulma," Yamcha muttered, quickly removing a panel. The circuitry inside wasn't like anything he'd ever seen Bulma tinkering with. There was writing on the back of the panel. No wonder he didn't understand the circuitry, it was Saiyan. Yamcha felt himself begin to sweat and panic.<br>"Oh, to hell with it," he muttered. He stood up and stomped onto the projector. The metal crumpled slightly under his foot. He did it again; the metal began to split. The third and final stomp tore through the circuitry, causing the projection to flicker and die. The moon vanished. The roars of the Great Apes turned into moans of pain as they returned to their humanoid forms.  
>"Yes, we did it!" said Yamcha, "We did it, Kabu. Now, let's get out of here before someone comes looking."<p>

* * *

><p>Vegeta smirked as he watched three Great Apes shrink back into their normal forms. The semi-naked exhausted Saiyans glared at him, trying to regain their feet.<br>"You betrayed your King," Vegeta said, "Turned against him, served an imposter."  
>"Kuda is the true King," snarled one of the Saiyans.<br>"I beg to differ," came a low voice from the shadows behind them. A brief look of fear passed over the Saiyans faces before they vanished, pulled into the shadows by an unseen force. For a brief moment, Vegeta thought he heard laughter. A roar drew Vegeta's attention. Kuda was still in his Great Ape form.  
>"Vegeta!" called a voice. Kakarot.<br>"Vegeta, we need to force him out of that form," said Kakarot, "If we attack him all together, it should work."  
>"Right," said Vegeta, before looking to his left. Appura and Trunks had emerged.<br>"Appura, Trunks, follow me," he said. They nodded, having heard Kakarot's shouts. Vegeta took to the air, his son and daughter close behind.

Goku turned to Gohan and Goten.  
>"Stay close, we're going to do the Kamehameha together," he said, "Dad!" Bardock paused and looked over.<br>"Don't worry about me, son," he said, "I've got the perfect attack all lined up." Goku nodded before flying in the opposite side to Vegeta and the others. Kuda was stood in the main square of the city, still roaring, pounding his chest with his fists. The Saiyans encircled him, much like Trunks and Goten had the day before.  
>"Alright boys, you ready?" Goku asked.<br>"Yes, Dad," came the response.  
>"Ka-me…" Goku started.<br>"Ha-me…" Said Gohan.  
>"Ha!" shouted Goten, sending a blue column of ki from his hands.<p>

"Big Bang Attack!"  
>"Burning Attack!"<br>"Final Spirit Cannon!"

Appura watched as the others all launched their attacks. They had one chance. She held her arms out wide before slamming her hands together. "Sonic Wave!" she cried. The wave hit Kuda forcing him to stumble backwards, shrinking back to his humanoid form. The other Saiyans returned to the ground.  
>"You idiots," Kuda spluttered, stumbling a little, "I am the King of All Saiyans! I am your King, and I will dominate this planet. These humans, a despicable little race, unable to comprehend their own existence. Oh, son of Kakarott, I know so much about you." Gohan took half a step back as the Saiyan King addressed him.<br>"An IQ far beyond any of these weaklings," Kuda continued, "You can see the true path, the path of the Saiyan. You can bring freedom to this planet, to this primitive race. You could rule them if you so desired to…"  
>"Shut up!" Gohan snapped, "You think that every Saiyan is like you, don't you? That every Saiyan exists to indulge the urge to dominate and rule? You couldn't be more wrong. My name is Son Gohan, I am of Planet Vegeta and Planet Earth. My father was sent here to destroy all life here but instead, he chose to fight for it, he fell in love and started a family. My son was born here as was his mother. His grandfathers are two of the mightiest warriors who ever lived here, whom both laid down their lives in its defence, in spite of their birth place being so very far away. You've tried to turn the people of this planet against us; to force us into submission and defeat, to come crawling to you in despair. But on this day, I, Son Gohan, say no more! The people of this planet can persecute us all they wish, but we will never stop fighting to defend them. This is our home, and we will stand tall and proud as we send you back into the darkness you came from."<br>There was a moment as Kuda stared in disbelief, as though he hadn't even thought that Gohan would speak back, let alone deliver a warning.  
>"Idiot boy!" he spluttered, "I cannot be defeated by a mongrel. It will take seven Super Saiyans to defeat me! It was foreseen!"<br>"Well," said Gohan, running one hand casually through his hair, "It's a good thing we have seven then." He smirked as Kuda's face fell. He closed his eyes and focussed. His hair moved first, standing up on end, flickering golden. Kuda stumbled backwards as Gohan's pupil-less teal eyes looked back at him. Behind Gohan, Goku, Goten, Trunks, Bardock and Vegeta all transformed.  
>"That's still only six," Kuda muttered. Vegeta smirked and looked sideways at Appura. Her eyes were closed, her brow furrowed in frustration as she tried to transform.<p>

For several moments nothing happened. This had plagued her for the best part of a year. She hadn't been able to transform again. Childbirth and lack of training had weakened her body. She felt something cool touch her shoulder.  
>"Don't give up," a soft voice, similar to her mother's whispered in her ear, "I'm right here." She felt a huge weight detach itself from her shoulders. The blocks fell apart and she felt her ki rush through her veins. Her hair whooshed up, flickering gold. She opened her eyes, her vision nothing but white for a moment before it cleared and everything became crisp and defined. She smiled, that trademark smile of Vegeta's line, exuding the proud arrogance they all carried.<br>"That's my girl," Vegeta said softly. Kuda stared blankly for a moment before scowling.  
>"You think she counts? Pah!" he spat, "I will not be defeated! Not by the likes of you." He seemed to regain his footing.<br>"Dad," Appura said, "Surround him. I'm going to kill him." She twisted her hand, manipulating her fingers. He recognised what she was trying to say. The Saiyans moved, faster than Kuda could see. Six of them cut off his escape as Appura stood before him. She lifted her arm, small ki balls forming at her fingers and thumb. Kuda stared at her, unable to move.  
>"Star Attack!" she yelled, the ki balls turning into beams, surging forwards to slice Kuda's body. But at the last second, Kuda moved, rolling away to the left. Bardock just avoided being sliced.<br>"No," Appura muttered, feeling her energy drain. It had been their first, last and only chance of killing Kuda. Within seconds, she was on her knees on the ground, her hair returning to its normal black.  
>"Appura!" Gohan cried, running forward, touching her shoulder with his hand.<br>"Go…kill him…" Appura managed, her vision blurring and her pride more than a little bruised. Gohan looked over at Kuda. The so-called King it seemed had landed badly, a large gash on his right leg was bleeding heavily. Gohan squeezed Appura's shoulder before launching himself at the other Saiyan. The others followed him, leaving Appura alone on the ground. She was panting, her arms only just holding her up.  
>"Hello Princess," said a voice. It wasn't her mother's voice this time.<br>"Puchin…" she said.

* * *

><p>Kuda ducked and managed to avoid another ki blast.<br>"How the hell is he able to avoid our attacks?" Gohan raged, his aura blaring a brighter shade of gold.  
>"He's attacked you right where it hurts the most," Bardock said, "Your home and families. You are too emotional and need to calm down."<br>"Calm down?!" Gohan snapped.  
>"See what I mean?" Bardock said. Gohan huffed and then took a deep breath.<br>"Good," said Bardock, "Kuda's arrogance has carried him this far. Never underestimate that. This battle has long been forseen. Prophecy, pride and no small amount of luck will keep him alive for now. But there's something else coming. On the way to the square…I heard King Vegeta's laughter."  
>"I heard it too," Vegeta said, "Right before two of Kuda's soldiers vanished before my eyes."<br>"I think we're having a little help to thin the numbers," Bardock said, smiling, "But we need to focus on Kuda. We have him on edge, a little scared. Unfortunately Appura's failure will have bolstered his confidence. Now, let's track him." The six Saiyans took to the air and resumed their search.

Kuda skimmed around the corner of a building. Never had he thought he would see seven Super Saiyans in his lifetime, let alone in one place. No, the prophecy said it would take seven different Super Saiyan attacks to defeat him. They were down to six now; the foolish girl had wasted herself on an all-or-nothing attack, leaving herself vulnerable. Puchin would be with her now. Soon, she would be dead, breaking the spirits of her fellow traitors. He smiled. Soon, everything would be back on track; his brother's traitorous followers brought to heel and he, Kuda, would be King of this planet as well.  
>"I wouldn't get too comfy here if I were you," said a voice. There was a click. Kuda's head turned just in time to see a human lowering a gun. He felt a blunt force hit him in the torso. Kuda felt his knees tremble. The human had short, spiky black hair and looked familiar.<br>"Y….Yamcha…" he spluttered, remembering the name, one of the humans arrested.  
>"That's for Ima," Yamcha said, before shouldering the gun and walking away. Kuda summoned a ki ball and failed. He looked down, purple liquid oozed from a fresh wound. The Hakai poison…he'd been shot. He felt his ki falling away from his grip. He stumbled out into the road to get a better look at the wound under the street lights as his vision blurred. He felt a slight breeze behind him. He turned. The six Super Saiyans were stood there.<br>"Now," said Bardock. All six of them summoned their ki, sending the blasts at Kuda. He dropped to the floor, attempting to crawl away. The six blasts all mixed together and merged, narrowly missing Kuda's head. The ki ball stopped a few feet in front of him, a huge ball of white light that crackled like electricity.  
>"What the…" Kuda heard a voice behind him. The light within the ball, the different strands of ki twisted and distorted. The white light changed to blue and black, expanding to form a dark portal. A laugh came through. Kuda squinted to get a better look and regretted it.<p>

Gohan stared as Kuda tried to back away from the portal that had formed from the mixing of their ki. But the fallen tyrant failed, his limbs gave way, causing him to fall to the ground. The portal pulsated, small balls of the dark ki separated, flying all around the city.  
>"No…" Kuda groaned, "Brother please…don't…no." A white outline of a figure appeared in the portal and slowly, the head and shoulders of a larger version of Vegeta appeared. King Vegeta.<br>"Too late, little brother," he said, "We've been given special permission to collect you early by King Yemma."  
>"No…please…the prophecy…" Kuda begged.<br>"You should know better than to take prophecies for granted," said King Vegeta, reaching his arms out and seizing his brother's wrists. He glanced up at the six Super Saiyans, smiled and winked before heaving. Kuda disappeared into the portal with a blood-curdling scream. Across the city, more screams sounded. Gohan could feel their ki vanishing.  
>"We need to find Appura," Vegeta said, taking to the air.<p>

* * *

><p>Appura rolled to one side as another blast flew from Puchin's staff. She was struggling to dodge them, having given her all to the Star Attack. Puchin tapped the staff twice. The concrete began to split and slide, threatening to send Appura down under the ground. She grabbed hold of a metal pipe that had been lifted up during Kuda's rampage. But her fingers soon began to slip.<br>"It will bring me great joy to see your line ended," Puchin croaked as her grip slipped even more.  
>"Not today," said a voice. A flash passed in front of Puchin and Appura vanished.<br>"Turn around." Puchin turned. Vegeta stood in front of him, Appura in his arms. Puchin didn't move.  
>"Such a pleasure to have you here in the flesh," Vegeta said, "You turned my father's people against him and have twice tried to kill my daughter, you little toad." His white-booted foot flew out, catching Puchin and sending the small magician flying away over the destroyed buildings. Vegeta looked at his daughter.<br>"Are you okay?" he asked. Appura nodded. He sat her down on the ground as the others appeared around the corner.  
>"Is everything ok?" Bardock asked.<br>"I'm fine," Appura said, "Puchin's gonna have a sore ass though. Wait, what happened to Kuda?" Bardock explained about the portal and seeing King Vegeta.  
>"Weird," she said.<br>"Yes, weird," said a deep voice. They turned. King Vegeta stood behind the group, a small woman stood at his side, her hand in the crook of his elbow.  
>"Your majesties," Bardock said, bowing his head. The woman smiled.<br>"Father…" Vegeta said, shock in his voice, "Mother…"  
>"Vegeta, my son," the woman said, letting go of King Vegeta and sweeping forward. Vegeta moved forward but mere steps away from her, fell to his knees. The Queen wrapped her arms around her head. More Saiyans started to appear, all of them with an odd white glow around them.<br>"These are all Saiyans who remained loyal to King Vegeta, the ones who perished on Planet Vegeta," said Bardock, his head spinning around as if he were looking for someone. Trunks nervously stepped toward his grandparents as the other Saiyans moved around them, forming a ring. Appura was about to climb to her feet when she spotted someone.  
>"Mom!" she cried. Ima moved out of the crowd, running forward and embracing her daughter.<p>

Goku stared around at all the Saiyans who were walking around them. He'd never thought he'd see so many. Someone stepped out the ring.  
>"Raditz," Goku muttered, automatically moving into a fighting stance at the sight of his brother. Raditz immediately held up his hands.<br>"I'm not able to hurt you, little brother," Raditz said, "She just wanted to see you one more time." A woman stepped out from behind him.  
>"Seripa!" Bardock cried, rushing past Goku and sweeping her up in his arms, spinning her around.<br>"Who's that?" Goten asked.  
>"I think…that's your grandmother," Goku said, edging forward slowly. Bardock set Seripa back on her feet. She glanced over his shoulder.<br>"Kakarott?" she asked. Goku nodded slowly.  
>"My boy," she said, walking forward and cupping Goku's face in her hands, "Look at you…the one who defeated Freiza." Goku nodded again and blinked before looking at his own sons.<br>"Mom…meet my sons, Gohan and Goten…"

* * *

><p>Bulma tore around the corner just in time to see several ghostly figures vanish from around the Saiyans.<br>"Trunks! Vegeta!" she cried, running forward and throwing her arms around her son and husbands necks.  
>"Mom! I met Dad's parents!" Trunks cried, clutching to his mother, "And Ima came back too!" Chi-Chi and Yamcha arrived, Yamcha still holding Kabu. Chi-Chi ran straight into Goku's arms.<br>"I met my mother…" he was muttering over and over again, "I met my mother." Yamcha sighed. He'd missed an opportunity to see his wife again but he forced a smile as he handed the sleeping baby to Appura. He felt a cold chill on his shoulder. He turned and found Ima smiling back at him.  
>"Thank you Yamcha," she said, "For looking after my family, our family. I will see you again soon. But for now, I need you to do one last thing…find the Dragonballs…make the people of Earth forget what happened."<br>"I love you," Yamcha said.  
>"I love you too," Ima replied before she slowly vanished.<p> 


	29. Chapter 29 A Wish

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dragonball Z.

A/N: Last chapter

Chapter 29

A Wish

Vegeta smiled down at the baby girl who stared back him with big blue eyes. She really was the spitting image of her mother. It was a rare moment of peace for him. It was Kabu's second birthday and the whole 'family' had descended on Capsule Corp for the celebration. Kabu was progressing like a regular human child though he required a machine to monitor his breathing whilst sleeping. He was walking, a little pigeon-footed, but then again so had Trunks. He'd even uttered his first word three weeks after Kuda had been defeated, 'Gampa'. Not 'Mama' or 'Dada', his first word had been 'Gampa' and he'd been pointing at Vegeta when he'd said it. Admittedly, he had rubbed it in Kakarott's face quite a bit on the man's next visit. Kabu had quite a vocabulary now and was able to ask for items he wanted.

The baby on Vegeta's lap squirmed and fidgeted.  
>"Alright," he said, quickly taking hold of her so she didn't roll off his lap. That had happened two days before and he hadn't heard the end of it yet. He loosely wrapped her blanket around her and lifted her up.<br>"Let's find your mother," he said softly. She blinked back at him. He liked her eyes. Who would have thought the black-haired, black-eyed Prince Vegeta would have descendants with blue eyes? He made his way down the stairs and out into the backyard.  
>"Gampa!" Kabu cried from across the backyard. Appura was sat next to him, straightening him up. Judging by the look of Kabu's bottom half he'd fallen in the mud again. Kabu toddled over to Vegeta and began bouncing on the balls of his feet.<br>"Baby. Baby!" Kabu said. Vegeta crouched down so Kabu could see the little girl.  
>"Nice of you to join us, Dad," Appura said as she arrived, peering at the bundle in his arms. She smiled as Kabu blew a kiss to the baby.<br>"Is everything ready?" Vegeta asked, straightening up.  
>"Yamcha's just setting up the Dragonballs now," Appura said, lifting up Kabu and walking towards the others. Vegeta followed. Bulma ran up to him.<br>"There you two are," she said, "Oh, Bulla, aren't you beautiful?" Vegeta passed Bulla over ad watched his wife smile.

Bulla had been quite the surprise for them. Bulma had been hinting for a while before the whole mess with Kuda that she wanted another baby before she got too old. Vegeta had been against the whole thing. He'd messed up helping raise Appura and Trunks and he was a grandfather. Bulma hadn't said a word about it after they had been reunited until the day she told him she was already pregnant. And now they had her. Bulla, his second daughter, a new little Princess. He saw Gohan stand next to him as Dende began to summon Shenron. Despite his best efforts, and even Kakarott had remarked they had been good efforts, Gohan and Appura remained parted. It had been distressing the first few weeks. Appura cried in her sleep and was exhausted from the effort of caring for Kabu by herself. Vegeta had at one point, removed the baby monitor from her room one night as she slept and watched over his grandson so she could have a full nights sleep. They had a schedule worked out now. Gohan had his son most weekends (to accommodate a new job in Satan City) and when Appura needed to work on her next album. She was determined to get back into music.

The sky darkened as Shenron arrived. Kabu cried and hid his face in Appura's shoulder. Gohan moved forward and rested a hand on Kabu's head. They were still good parents, even if they were separated. Kabu was their priority. There was no petty fighting and arguing.  
>"It is done," Shenron said after Dende relayed the wish: for the people of Earth to forget about the Saiyans. The dragon vanished and the Dragonballs glowed before disappearing. The sky cleared and brightened.<br>"Alright, let's eat some cake!" Kakarott shouted making the others laugh. Even Bardock smirked for the side of the building. Vegeta caught his eye, the older Saiyan nodded at him and Vegeta returned the gesture before turning to watch Chi-Chi come out the door with a giant cake with two candles lit. Kabu's eyes widened at the sight. Vegeta walked over and stood by Bardock.  
>"Is it strange?" he asked, "To spend forty years in hiding and then suddenly be surrounded by three more generations?"<br>"You mean, to find my son grown with children of his own not to mention a grandson?" Bardock replied, "Yes, it is. But I wouldn't change it for the world." Vegeta smiled and watched as Gohan threw Kabu in the air whilst Appura fretted.  
>"The nights you say Appura cries in her sleep, Gohan doesn't sleep at all," Bardock said, "I've seen him, pacing around the house in the middle of the night. The mating bond they forged is still there, even if they don't realise it. They'll find their way back to each other." Vegeta nodded and looked back at his family. For that moment, in the sunshine, with his family around them, Vegeta felt truly at peace.<p> 


End file.
